Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

2026-17553] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 39 [Docket No. FAA-2026-2295; Project Identifier AD-2025-01361-T; Amendment 39-23445; AD 2026-17-02] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Final rule. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Boeing investigation for manufacturing errors and excessive preload forces at the lower side of body (SOB) splice plates common to the lower outboard wing skins. That investigation concluded that shim gaps may have exceeded engineering allowances, and high pull up forces on the components may cause fatigue cracks to form at the fastener holes. This AD requires, depending on configuration, repetitive ultrasonic (UT) inspections at certain splice plates, rear spar terminal fittings, lower chords, front spar terminal fittings, and jack pads for any cracks; repetitive detailed inspections (DET) of certain splice plates for any cracks; and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is issuing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products. DATES: This