Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 727 Series Airplanes

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD) that is applicable to certain Boeing Model 727 series airplanes. This action requires repetitive inspections to detect cracking of the rear spar web or fuel leakage of the wing center section, and repair, if necessary. This amendment also provides for an optional modification of the rear spar web that constitutes terminating action for the repetitive inspections. This amendment is prompted by several reports of fuel leakage due to cracking of the rear spar web of the wing center section. The actions specified in this AD are intended to detect and correct such cracking of the rear spar web, which could permit fuel leakage into the airflow multiplier, and could result in an electrical short that could cause a fire.