Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2008-13-12 R1 for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-100, -200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. AD 2008-13-12 R1 required various repetitive inspections for cracking of a certain splice of the fuselage, and other specified and corrective actions if necessary; and provided for an optional preventive modification, which terminated the repetitive inspections. This new AD adds an inspection to determine if the existing frame repair meets all specified requirements; a modification of a certain splice, which terminates the repetitive inspections; reduces certain inspection thresholds and repetitive intervals; and adds post-repair/post-modification inspections. This AD was prompted by reports of additional fatigue cracking of a certain splice of the fuselage and one report of a severed frame, due to susceptibility to widespread fatigue damage (WFD). We are issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.