Rule2026-19754
Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
September 28, 2026
Effective
November 2, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentFederal Aviation Administration
Abstract
The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that cargo liner joint sealing tape could be missing in particular areas on certain airplanes. The absence of this tape could allow a fire to propagate into the cabin. This AD requires a detailed inspection of these areas for the missing tape, and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 186 (Monday, September 28, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 186 (Monday, September 28, 2026)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 61116-61118]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-19754]
[[Page 61116]]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
14 CFR Part 39
[Docket No. FAA-2026-1330; Project Identifier AD-2025-01687-T;
Amendment 39-23474; AD 2026-20-01]
RIN 2120-AA64
Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Final rule.
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SUMMARY: The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for
certain The Boeing Company Model 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes.
This AD was prompted by a report that cargo liner joint sealing tape
could be missing in particular areas on certain airplanes. The absence
of this tape could allow a fire to propagate into the cabin. This AD
requires a detailed inspection of these areas for the missing tape, and
applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address
the unsafe condition on these products.
DATES: This AD is effective November 2, 2026.
The Director of the Federal Register approved the incorporation by
reference of a certain publication listed in this AD as of November 2,
2026.
ADDRESSES:
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> under
Docket No. FAA-2026-1330; 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 final rule, any comments received, and other
information. The address for Docket Operations is U.S. Department of
Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor,
Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
<bullet> 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>.
<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-2026-1330.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Julie Linn, Aviation Safety Engineer,
FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-3584;
email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#503a253c39357e3c393e3e103631317e373f26"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="98f2edf4f1fdb6f4f1f6f6d8fef9f9b6fff7ee">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The FAA issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) to amend 14
CFR part 39 by adding an AD that would apply to The Boeing Company
Model 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes. The NPRM was published in the
Federal Register on February 20, 2026 (91 FR 8147). The NPRM was
prompted by a report indicating that Boeing Material Specification
(BMS) 5-146 cargo liner joint sealing tape could be missing outboard of
the left side and right side monuments forward of Door 1. In the NPRM,
the FAA proposed to require a detailed inspection of the area located
between the monuments, forward of Door 1 left side and right side, and
the outer walls, for missing BMS5-146 cargo liner joint sealing tape,
and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to
address any missing cargo liner joint sealing tape.
Discussion of Final Airworthiness Directive
Comments
The FAA received comments from four commenters, including Air Line
Pilots Association, International (ALPA), United Airlines (United), and
two individuals, who supported the NPRM without change.
The FAA received additional comments from two commenters, including
Qantas Airways and The Foundation for Aviation Safety. The following
presents the comments received on the NPRM and the FAA's response to
each comment.
Request To Consider Other Causes of the Unsafe Condition
Qantas presented a potential scenario where an airplane is
delivered with the cargo liner joint sealing tape, and after a period
of time in service the tape goes missing due to adhesion failure or
other causes. To account for this scenario, Qantas reviewed the Boeing
787 Task Card Manual, Aircraft Maintenance Manual, and Maintenance
Planning Document, but was unable to locate procedures for identifying
missing tape on an in-service airplane. Qantas, therefore, asked
whether the FAA had considered if the unsafe condition could be caused
by other factors such as adhesion failure and if the existing 787
maintenance data is adequate.
The FAA determined that the unsafe condition of this AD was caused
by a quality escape during airplane production, which was limited at
most to the airplane serial numbers identified in the required Boeing
service information. At this time, the FAA has not received any reports
of loss of cargo liner joint sealing tape on in-service Boeing Model
787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 airplanes due to adhesion failure or other
causes. If the FAA receives any such reports in the future, the FAA
will evaluate the data to determine what corrective actions should be
taken to address that potential scenario, as well as evaluate the
adequacy of the 787 maintenance documents. No change was made to this
AD as a result of this comment.
Request To Clarify Root Cause of the Unsafe Condition
The Foundation for Aviation Safety asked whether the root cause of
the unsafe condition could be related to the removal of inspections
and, if not, how the affected airplanes were identified.
The FAA determined that the unsafe condition of this AD was caused
by a quality escape during airplane production. Boeing has since
addressed the installation instruction issue that primarily contributed
to the quality escape. Additionally, the Boeing quality system was able
to identify the airplane serial numbers that may potentially be missing
the cargo liner joint sealing tape. No change was made to this AD as a
result of this comment.
Conclusion
The FAA reviewed the relevant data, considered any comments
received, and determined that air safety requires adopting this AD as
proposed. Accordingly, the FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe
condition on these products. Except for minor editorial changes, this
AD is adopted as proposed in the NPRM. None of the changes will
increase the economic burden on any operator.
Material Incorporated by Reference Under 1 CFR Part 51
The FAA reviewed Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-
SB530108-00 RB, Issue 001, dated November 5, 2025. This material
specifies procedures for a detailed inspection of the area located
between the monuments, forward of Door 1 left side and right side, and
the outer walls, for missing BMS5-146 cargo liner joint sealing tape,
and applicable on-condition actions. On-condition actions include
installing cargo liner joint sealing tape on each affected location.
[[Page 61117]]
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.
Costs of Compliance
The FAA estimates that this AD affects 87 airplanes of U.S.
registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this AD:
Estimated Costs
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Cost per Cost on U.S.
Action Labor cost Parts cost product operators
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Detailed inspection of area between 1 work-hour x $85 per $0 $85 $7,395
monuments and outer walls. hour = $85.
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The FAA estimates the following costs to do any necessary repairs
that would be required based on the results of the required inspection.
The agency has no way of determining the number of aircraft that might
need this repair:
On-Condition Costs
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Cost per
Action Labor cost Parts cost product
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Install cargo liner joint sealing tape........ Up to 21 work-hours x $85 per $100 Up to $1,885.
hour = $1,785.
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The FAA has included all known costs in its cost estimate.
According to the manufacturer, however, some or all of the costs of
this AD may be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact
on affected operators.
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
This AD will not have federalism implications under Executive Order
13132. This AD will 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 that this AD:
(1) Is not a ``significant regulatory action'' under Executive
Order 12866,
(2) Will not affect intrastate aviation in Alaska, and
(3) Will 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 Amendment
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the
Administrator, the FAA amends 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:
2026-20-01 The Boeing Company Airplanes: Amendment 39-23474; Docket
No. FAA-2026-1330; Project Identifier AD-2025-01687-T.
(a) Effective Date
This airworthiness directive (AD) is effective November 2, 2026.
(b) Affected ADs
None.
(c) Applicability
This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 787-8, 787-9, and
787-10 airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in
Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-SB530108-00 RB, Issue
001, dated November 5, 2025.
(d) Subject
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code 53, Fuselage.
(e) Unsafe Condition
This AD was prompted by a report that Boeing Material
Specification (BMS) 5-146 cargo liner joint sealing tape could be
missing outboard of the left side and right side monuments forward
of Door 1. The FAA is issuing this AD to address any missing cargo
liner joint sealing tape. The unsafe condition, if not addressed,
could result in fire propagation from the lower lobe cheek area to
the cabin over-ceiling space and compartments, potentially leading
to loss of continued safe flight and landing.
(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 B787-81205-SB530108-00 RB, Issue 001,
dated November 5, 2025, do all applicable actions identified in, and
in accordance with, the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert
Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-SB530108-00 RB, Issue 001, dated
November 5, 2025.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions
required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin
B787-81205-SB530108-00, Issue 001, dated November 5, 2025, which is
referred to in Boeing Alert Requirements
[[Page 61118]]
Bulletin B787-81205-SB530108-00 RB, Issue 001, dated November 5,
2025.
(h) Exceptions to Requirements Bulletin Specifications
Where the Compliance Time column of the table in the
``Compliance'' paragraph of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin B787-
81205-SB530108-00 RB, Issue 001, dated November 5, 2025, refers to
the Issue 001 date of Requirements Bulletin B787-81205-SB530108-00
RB, this AD requires using the effective date 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)(1) of this AD. Information may be emailed to:
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#56171b19151630373778313920"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="9fded2d0dcdff9fefeb1f8f0e9">[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
(1) For more information about this AD, contact Julie Linn,
Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA
98198; phone: 206-231-3584; email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#513b243d38347f3d383f3f113730307f363e27"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fc9689909599d290959292bc9a9d9dd29b938a">[email protected]</span></a>.
(2) Material identified in this AD that is not incorporated by
reference is available at the address specified in paragraph (k)(3)
this AD.
(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 B787-81205-SB530108-00
RB, Issue 001, dated November 5, 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#3d5b4f1354534e4d585e495452537d535c4f5c135a524b"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="365044185f5845465355425f5958765857445718515940">[email protected]</span></a>.
Issued on September 23, 2026.
Brian Knaup,
Acting Deputy Director, Integrated Certificate Management Division,
Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-19754 Filed 9-25-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
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