Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 747-100, 747-100B, 747-100B SUD, 747-200B, 747-200C, 747-300, 747-400, 747-400D, and 747SP series airplanes. This AD was prompted by reports of worn or incorrectly assembled latches on main deck escape slides installed on airplane doors. This AD requires determining if the latches are correctly assembled; and doing corrective actions if necessary. This AD also requires, for certain airplanes, modifications to the escape slide/rafts and escape slides. We are issuing this AD to prevent a latch hook moving from closed to open in an escape slide/raft or escape slide, which could result in the escape slide/raft or escape slide not deploying correctly in an emergency, or releasing/inflating into the passenger cabin and causing injury to passengers and crew.