Airworthiness Directive 2020-02-16

one-time
Official AD 2020-02-16 · FR doc 2020-02719 · 2020-02-12 · airframe

Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

What this AD requires

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-200, -200C, -300, -400, and -500 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by an evaluation by the design approval holder (DAH) indicating that the lower skin of the fuselage skin lap splices along the lower fastener row of a certain stringer lap splice on certain body station skin panels may be subject to widespread fatigue damage (WFD). This AD requires inspections of the lower skin of the fuselage skin lap splices along the lower fastener row of a certain stringer lap splice on certain body station skin panels and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.

Which aircraft AD 2020-02-16 applies to

MakesThe Boeing Company
Models737-200, 737-200C, 737-300, 737-400, 737-500, 737

Applies to airplanes identified in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1382 RB, dated May 6, 2019. Installation of STC ST01219SE does not affect the ability to accomplish the AD's required actions; airplanes with STC ST01219SE installed remain subject to the AD and require a change-in-product AMOC approval request.

Whether AD 2020-02-16 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 2020-02-16 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.