Airworthiness Directives; Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A. (EMBRAER) Model ERJ 170 Airplanes

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain EMBRAER Model ERJ 170 airplanes. This AD requires replacing the mini-latches on certain lavatory waste compartment doors with new, stronger latches, and other specified actions. This AD results from reports of certain lavatory waste compartment doors opening during flight due to movement of the waste compartment during takeoff, because the mini-latches installed on the doors of those compartments lose their strength over time. We are issuing this AD to prevent the inability of the waste compartment doors to adequately contain a fire inside the lavatory waste compartment, and consequent uncontained fire and smoke within a lavatory during flight.