Airworthiness Directives; Boeing Model 737-800 Series Airplanes

This document publishes in the Federal Register an amendment adopting airworthiness directive (AD) 2007-06-52 that was sent previously to all known U.S. owners and operators of Boeing Model 737- 800 series airplanes by individual notices. This AD requires inspecting spoilers to determine spoiler position after every landing and after any rejected takeoff maneuvers. For airplanes on which any spoiler is found in the up position with the speedbrake handle in the down position, this AD requires replacement of the flight spoiler actuator with a flight spoiler actuator having a certain part number. This AD also requires an operational test of the speedbrake control system after any maintenance actions that operate the spoiler system and replacement of the flight spoiler actuator if necessary. This AD also provides for optional terminating action for those requirements. In addition, this AD requires you to report to the manufacturer any spoiler panel that is found in the up position with the speedbrake handle in the down position. This AD results from a report of seven flight spoiler actuator jams on Model 737-800 Short Field Performance airplanes. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct any spoiler panel that is found in the up position with the speedbrake handle in the down position, which could result in a spoiler actuator hardover, and could cause the spoiler surface to jam in the fully extended position. Two or more hardover failures of the spoiler surfaces in the up direction on the same wing, if undetected prior to takeoff, can cause significant roll and consequent loss of control of the airplane.