FAA Speeds Up Crack Checks on Boeing 737s—Safety First?
Published Date: 6/16/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
If you fly or fix Boeing 737-900 and -900ER planes, listen up! The FAA wants to speed up inspections for cracks on certain parts of the plane’s skin and add new checks if you’ve made certain fixes. This means quicker action to keep everyone safe, and it might affect your maintenance schedule and costs.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 2 costs, 0 mixed.
Faster Inspections Required for 737-900s
The FAA proposes shorter (reduced) compliance times for the repetitive inspections required by AD 2013-08-11 on certain Boeing 737-900 and 737-900ER fuselage skin areas. If you operate or maintain those models, you must do the same inspections sooner than before to check for cracks and repair them if needed.
Rule Aims to Fix Unsafe Fuselage Cracking
The FAA is proposing this AD to address an unsafe condition involving cracking of the fuselage skin along chem-mill steps at certain crown skin and shear wrinkle areas on Boeing 737-900 and 737-900ER airplanes. The continued and accelerated inspection requirements are intended to keep affected airplanes safer for passengers and crew.
New Post-Modification Inspections Added
If you perform an optional modification on affected Boeing 737-900 or 737-900ER airplanes, the proposed AD would require new post-modification inspections for the same fuselage skin areas. Those inspections must be done after the optional modification is accomplished.
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