Proposed Rule2026-02736
Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes
Primary source
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Published
February 11, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 757-200 and -200CB series airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by an evaluation of the design approval holder (DAH) indicating that the inner skin of the lap splices, at the lower fastener row, is subject to widespread fatigue damage (WFD). This proposed AD would require an inspection or a maintenance records check for any existing repair of certain fuselage skin panels, and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 28 (Wednesday, February 11, 2026)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6147-6150]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-02736]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2026-0745; Project Identifier AD-2025-01574-T]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
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SUMMARY: The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD)
for certain The Boeing Company Model 757-200 and -200CB series
airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by an evaluation of the design
approval holder (DAH) indicating that the inner skin of the lap
splices, at the lower fastener row, is subject to widespread fatigue
damage (WFD). This proposed AD would require an inspection or a
maintenance records check for any existing repair of certain fuselage
skin panels, and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is proposing
this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by March 30,
2026.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR
11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments.
<bullet> Fax: 202-493-2251.
<bullet> Mail: U.S. Department of Transportation, Docket
Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New
Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
<bullet> Hand Delivery: Deliver to Mail address above between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under
Docket No. FAA-2026-0745; or in person at Docket Operations between 9
a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD
docket contains this NPRM, any comments received, and other
information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
<bullet> For Boeing material identified in this proposed AD,
contact Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data
Services (C&DS), 2600 Westminster Blvd., MC 110-SK57, Seal Beach, CA
90740-5600; telephone 562-797-1717; website <a href="http://myboeingfleet.com">myboeingfleet.com</a>.
<bullet> You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St., Des
Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material at the
FAA, call 206-231-3195. It is also available at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under
Docket No. FAA-2026-0745.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Wayne Ha, Aviation Safety Engineer,
FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 562-627-5238;
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b3c4d2caddd69ddbd2f3d5d2d29dd4dcc5"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="5e293f27303b70363f1e383f3f70393128">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Comments Invited
The FAA invites you to send any written relevant data, views, or
arguments about this proposal. Send your comments using a method listed
under the ADDRESSES section. Include ``Docket No. FAA-2026-0745;
Project Identifier AD-2025-01574-T'' at the beginning of your comments.
The most helpful comments reference a specific
[[Page 6148]]
portion of the proposal, explain the reason for any recommended change,
and include supporting data. The FAA will consider all comments
received by the closing date and may amend this proposal because of
those comments.
Except for Confidential Business Information (CBI) as described in
the following paragraph, and other information as described in 14 CFR
11.35, the FAA will post all comments received, without change, to
<a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a>, including any personal information you provide. The
agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal
contact received about this NPRM.
Confidential Business Information
CBI is commercial or financial information that is both customarily
and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public
disclosure. If your comments responsive to this NPRM contain commercial
or financial information that is customarily treated as private, that
you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or responsive to
this NPRM, it is important that you clearly designate the submitted
comments as CBI. Please mark each page of your submission containing
CBI as ``PROPIN.'' The FAA will treat such marked submissions as
confidential under the FOIA, and they will not be placed in the public
docket of this NPRM. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to Wayne
Ha, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA
98198; phone: 562-627-5238; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#4f382e36212a61272e0f292e2e61282039"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9fe8fee6f1fab1f7fedff9fefeb1f8f0e9">[email protected]</span></a>. Any commentary
that the FAA receives that is not specifically designated as CBI will
be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.
Background
Fatigue damage can occur locally, in small areas or structural
design details, or globally, in widespread areas. Multiple-site damage
is widespread damage that occurs in a large structural element such as
a single rivet line of a lap splice joining two large skin panels.
Widespread damage can also occur in multiple elements such as adjacent
frames or stringers. Multiple-site damage and multiple-element damage
cracks are typically too small initially to be reliably detected with
normal inspection methods. Without intervention, these cracks will grow
and eventually compromise the structural integrity of the airplane.
This condition is known as WFD. It is associated with general
degradation of large areas of structure with similar structural details
and stress levels. As an airplane ages, WFD will likely occur, and will
certainly occur if the airplane is operated long enough without any
intervention.
An FAA final rule (``Aging Airplane Program: Widespread Fatigue
Damage;'' 75 FR 69746, November 15, 2010) became effective on January
14, 2011, and amended 14 CFR parts 25, 26, 121, and 129 (commonly known
as the WFD rule). The WFD rule requires certain actions to prevent
structural failure due to WFD throughout the operational life of
certain existing transport category airplanes and all these airplanes
that will be certificated in the future. DAHs of existing and future
airplanes subject to the WFD rule are required to establish a limit of
validity (LOV) of the engineering data that supports the structural
maintenance program. Operators affected by the WFD rule may not fly an
airplane beyond its LOV, unless an extended LOV is approved.
The WFD rule does not require identifying and developing
maintenance actions if the DAHs can show that such actions are not
necessary to prevent WFD before the airplane reaches the LOV. Many
LOVs, however, do depend on accomplishment of future maintenance
actions. As stated in the WFD rule, any maintenance actions necessary
to reach the LOV will be mandated by airworthiness directives through
separate rulemaking actions.
In the context of WFD, this action is necessary to enable DAHs to
propose LOVs that allow operators the longest operational lives for
their airplanes and still ensure that WFD will not occur. This approach
allows for an implementation strategy that provides flexibility to DAHs
in determining the timing of service information development (with FAA
approval), while providing operators with certainty regarding the LOV
applicable to their airplanes.
The FAA has received an evaluation by the DAH indicating that the
inner skin of the lap splices, at the lower fastener row, is subject to
WFD. The inner skin in the lap splice lower fastener row at various
fuselage lap splice locations in Sections 43 and 46 is susceptible to
scratches, which may develop into cracks and potentially interact with
multi-site damage. The unsafe condition, if not addressed, could result
in accelerated crack growth rate, which may result in the inability of
a principal structural element to sustain limit load and lead to a
decompression event.
For airplanes with 60,000 total flight cycles or more, existing
inspections alone at the S-14 lap splices are inadequate to ensure the
safety of the fleet. The on-condition actions (i.e., the modification
or replacement) specified in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-
53A0109 RB, dated September 25, 2025, provide final mitigating action
to the airplane level safety issue for those airplanes.
FAA's Determination
The FAA is issuing this NPRM after determining that the unsafe
condition described previously is likely to exist or develop on other
products of the same type design.
Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0109 RB,
dated September 25, 2025. This material specifies procedures for a
general visual inspection (GVI) or a maintenance records check for any
existing repair of the fuselage skin panels between stringers S-14 and
S-19, from station (STA) 439 to STA 661, and between stringers S-14 and
S-20, from STA 1180 or STA 1459 (depending on configuration) to STA
1621, and applicable on-condition actions. On-condition actions include
obtaining and following alternative modification instructions and
replacing the applicable fuselage skin panels or bond assemblies.
This material is reasonably available because the interested
parties have access to it through their normal course of business or by
the means identified in the ADDRESSES section.
Proposed AD Requirements in This NPRM
This proposed AD would require accomplishing the actions specified
in the material already described, except for any differences
identified as exceptions in the regulatory text of this proposed AD.
For information on the procedures and compliance times, see this
material at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under Docket No. FAA-2026-0745.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would
affect 320 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following
costs to comply with this proposed AD:
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Estimated Costs
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Cost per Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost product operators
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Inspection or records check........... 6 work-hours x $85 per $0 $510 $163,200
hour = $510.
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The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary
replacements that would be required based on the results of the
proposed inspection. The agency has no way of determining the number of
aircraft that might need these replacements:
On-Condition Costs
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Cost per
Action Labor cost Parts cost product
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Panels or Bond Assemblies Replacement......... Up to 1,360 work-hours x $85 per * $ $115,600
hour = $115,600.
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* The FAA has received no definitive data on which to base parts cost.
The FAA has received no definitive data on which to base the cost
estimates for the on-condition alternative modification instructions
specified in this proposed AD.
Authority for This Rulemaking
Title 49 of the United States Code specifies the FAA's authority to
issue rules on aviation safety. Subtitle I, section 106, describes the
authority of the FAA Administrator. Subtitle VII: Aviation Programs,
describes in more detail the scope of the Agency's authority.
The FAA is issuing this rulemaking under the authority described in
Subtitle VII, Part A, Subpart III, Section 44701: General requirements.
Under that section, Congress charges the FAA with promoting safe flight
of civil aircraft in air commerce by prescribing regulations for
practices, methods, and procedures the Administrator finds necessary
for safety in air commerce. This regulation is within the scope of that
authority because it addresses an unsafe condition that is likely to
exist or develop on products identified in this rulemaking action.
Regulatory Findings
The FAA determined that this proposed AD would not have federalism
implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would not
have a substantial direct effect on the States, on the relationship
between the national government and the States, or on the distribution
of power and responsibilities among the various levels of government.
For the reasons discussed above, I certify this proposed
regulation:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866,
(2) Would not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(3) Would not have a significant economic impact, positive or
negative, on a substantial number of small entities under the criteria
of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
List of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 39
Air transportation, Aircraft, Aviation safety, Incorporation by
reference, Safety.
The Proposed Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:
PART 39--AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES
0
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(g), 40113, 44701.
Sec. 39.13 [Amended]
0
2. The FAA amends Sec. 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness
directive:
The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA-2026-0745; Project Identifier AD-
2025-01574-T.
(a) Comments Due Date
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive
(AD) by March 30, 2026.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 757-200 and -200CB
series airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in
Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0109 RB, dated September
25, 2025.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by an evaluation by the design approval
holder (DAH) indicating that the inner skin of the lap splices, at
the lower fastener row, is subject to widespread fatigue damage
(WFD). The FAA is issuing this AD to address scratches that can grow
into scratch cracks, which could interact with multi-site damage.
This condition, if not addressed, could result in accelerated crack
growth rate, which may result in the inability of a principal
structural element to sustain limit load and lead to a decompression
event.
(f) Compliance
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified,
unless already done.
(g) Required Actions
Except as specified by paragraph (h) of this AD: At the
applicable times specified in the ``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing
Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0109 RB, dated September 25,
2025, do all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance
with, the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements
Bulletin 757-53A0109 RB, dated September 25, 2025.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
757-53A0109, dated September 25, 2025, which is referred to in
Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0109 RB, dated September
25, 2025.
(h) Exceptions to Requirements Bulletin Specifications
(1) Where the Compliance Time columns of the tables in the
``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-
53A0109 RB, dated September 25, 2025, refer to the original issue
date of Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0109 RB, this AD requires using
the effective date of this AD.
(2) Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0109 RB,
dated September 25, 2025, specifies contacting Boeing for
alternative modification instructions: This AD requires doing the
alternative modification instructions and applicable on-condition
actions using a method approved
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in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (i) of this
AD.
(i) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs)
(1) The Manager, AIR-520, Continued Operational Safety Branch,
FAA, has the authority to approve AMOCs for this AD, if requested
using the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19. In accordance with 14
CFR 39.19, send your request to your principal inspector or
responsible Flight Standards Office, as appropriate. If sending
information directly to the manager of the Continued Operational
Safety Branch, send it to the attention of the person identified in
paragraph (j) of this AD. Information may be emailed to:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7f3e32303c3f191e1e51181009"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b6f7fbf9f5f6d0d7d798d1d9c0">[email protected]</span></a>. Before using any approved AMOC, notify your
appropriate principal inspector, or lacking a principal inspector,
the manager of the responsible Flight Standards Office.
(2) An AMOC that provides an acceptable level of safety may be
used for any repair, modification, or alteration required by this AD
if it is approved by The Boeing Company Organization Designation
Authorization (ODA) that has been authorized by the Manager, AIR-
520, Continued Operational Safety Branch, FAA, to make those
findings. To be approved, the repair method, modification deviation,
or alteration deviation must meet the certification basis of the
airplane, and the approval must specifically refer to this AD.
(j) Additional Information
For more information about this AD, contact Wayne Ha, Aviation
Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198;
phone: 562-627-5238; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7601170f1813581e173610171758111900"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="91e6f0e8fff4bff9f0d1f7f0f0bff6fee7">[email protected]</span></a>.
(k) Material Incorporated by Reference
(1) The Director of the Federal Register approved the
incorporation by reference of the material listed in this paragraph
under 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51.
(2) You must use this material as applicable to do the actions
required by this AD, unless the AD specifies otherwise.
(i) Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 757-53A0109 RB, dated
September 25, 2025.
(ii) [Reserved]
(3) For Boeing material identified in this AD, contact Boeing
Commercial Airplanes, Attention: Contractual & Data Services (C&DS),
2600 Westminster Blvd., MC 110-SK57, Seal Beach, CA 90740-5600;
telephone 562-797-1717; website <a href="http://myboeingfleet.com">myboeingfleet.com</a>.
(4) You may view this material at the FAA, Airworthiness
Products Section, Operational Safety Branch, 2200 South 216th St.,
Des Moines, WA. For information on the availability of this material
at the FAA, call 206-231-3195.
(5) You may view this material at the National Archives and
Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability
of this material at NARA, visit <a href="http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations">www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations</a> or email <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#87e1f5a9eee9f4f7e2e4f3eee8e9c7e9e6f5e6a9e0e8f1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e98f9bc780879a998c8a9d808687a987889b88c78e869f">[email protected]</span></a>.
Issued on February 9, 2026.
Peter A. White,
Deputy Director, Integrated Certificate Management Division, Aircraft
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-02736 Filed 2-10-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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