Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10-10 and DC-10-10F Airplanes, Model DC-10-15 Airplanes, Model DC-10-30 and DC-10-30F (KC-10A and KDC-10) Airplanes, Model DC-10-40 and DC-10-40F Airplanes, Model MD-10-10F and MD-10-30F Airplanes, and Model MD-11 and MD-11F Airplanes

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for all transport category airplanes identified above. This AD requires an inspection to determine if a certain fuel pump housing electrical connector is installed. This AD also requires a revision to the FAA- approved airplane flight manual (AFM) to advise the flightcrew of the appropriate procedures for disabling certain fuel pump electrical circuits following failure of a fuel pump housing electrical connector if applicable. This AD also requires the deactivation of certain fuel tanks or fuel pumps and the installation of placards if applicable. This AD allows the optional replacement of the fuel pump housing electrical connectors with new, improved parts, which would terminate the AFM revisions, deactivation of certain fuel tanks and fuel pumps, and placard installation. This AD results from a report of two failures of the fuel pump housing electrical connector. We are issuing this AD to prevent continued arcing following a short circuit of the fuel pump housing electrical connector, which could damage the conduit that protects the power lead inside the fuel tank; this condition could create an ignition source inside the fuel tank, which, in combination with flammable fuel vapors, could result in a fuel tank explosion and consequent loss of the airplane.