Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 767-200 and -300 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of multiple site damage cracks in the radial web lap and tear strap splices of the aft pressure bulkhead at station (STA) 1582 due to fatigue. This AD requires repetitive inspections for cracking of the aft pressure bulkhead at STA 1582, repair or replacement of any cracked bulkhead, and eventual replacement of the aft pressure bulkhead at STA 1582 with a new bulkhead. Accomplishing the replacement terminates the repetitive inspections required by this AD. We are issuing this AD to prevent fatigue cracking of the aft pressure bulkhead, which could result in rapid decompression of the airplane and possible damage or interference with the airplane control systems that penetrate the bulkhead, and consequent loss of controllability of the airplane.