Airworthiness Directives; the Boeing Company Airplanes
We are superseding airworthiness directive (AD) 87-02-07, which applied to all The Boeing Company Model 737-100 and -200 series airplanes. AD 87-02-07 required replacement of certain underwing fuel tank access covers with stronger, fire-resistant covers. This new AD also requires inspecting fuel tank access doors to determine that impact-resistant access doors are installed in the correct locations, inspecting application of stencils and index markers of impact- resistant access doors, doing corrective actions if necessary, revising the maintenance program, and adding airplanes to the applicability. This AD was prompted by reports of standard access doors installed where impact-resistant access doors are required, and reports of impact-resistant doors without stencils. We are issuing this AD to prevent foreign object penetration of the wing tank, which could lead to a fuel leak near ignition sources (engine, hot brakes), consequently leading to a fuel-fed fire.