Airworthiness Directive 2015-21-06

recurring
Official AD 2015-21-06 · FR doc 2015-26616 · 2015-11-12 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

What this AD requires

We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2002-07-08 for certain The Boeing Company Model 737 airplanes. AD 2002-07-08 required repetitive inspections for cracking of the lower skin at the lower row of fasteners in the lap joints of the fuselage; repair of any cracking found; modification of the fuselage lap joints at certain locations, which terminated the repetitive inspections of the modified areas; and replacement of a certain preventive modification with an improved modification. This new AD adds repetitive inspections for cracking at certain window corner fastener holes, a preventive modification, and repair if necessary. This AD was prompted by the FAA's determination that certain modifications of the fuselage lap joints do not provide an adequate level of safety, and the subsequent discovery of cracks in additional fastener locations in the window belt skin panels, adjacent stringers, and window frames in locations outside the previous inspection area. We are issuing this AD to detect and correct fatigue cracking of the fuselage lap joints and window belt skin panels, which could result in reduced structural integrity and sudden decompression of the airplane.

Repetitive inspection. Re-inspect. The next-due date/hours depend on this aircraft’s time in service — a records report computes it from the logbooks.

Which aircraft AD 2015-21-06 applies to

MakesThe Boeing Company
Models737-200, 737-200C, 737-300, 737-400, 737-500, 737
Serial-conditional — narrows to serials 292–2565.

Range given in the AD is Boeing line numbers, not manufacturer serial numbers.

Whether AD 2015-21-06 actually applies to your aircraft (by serial and installed parts) and whether it’s already complied with comes from that aircraft’s records.

How AD compliance is recorded

A valid compliance record (14 CFR 43.9) states:

Method of complianceThe specific action taken (inspected, replaced, modified) and to what revision.
DateWhen the work was done.
Aircraft timeTotal time in service / tach at compliance — how recurring next-due is computed.
Signature & certificateThe A&P/IA who returned it to service, with certificate number.
Is AD 2015-21-06 complied with on your aircraft?

Tailplate reads a tail number’s logbooks and matches every applicable AD — including this one — to its compliance evidence, with recurring next-due dates computed.

Look up a tail number →Read the full directive (Federal Register)

Applicability is derived from the FAA directive corpus and is advisory, not a legal airworthiness determination. Compliance is established only from an aircraft’s actual records.