Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-8 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that, during production, a small number of fasteners in certain locations of the center fuel tank were cap sealed on top of a black stripe of ink with a clear overcoat. This clear overcoat is not an approved surface for sealing and can potentially compromise sealant adhesion. Compromised sealant adhesion can, over time, affect the lightning-protection properties of the airplane. This AD requires preparation of the affected surface areas to ensure that there is adequate sealant adhesion, and complete encapsulation of the discrepant fastener locations with the approved production sealant. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.