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Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.
Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
The FAA proposes to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 (737 MAX) airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by reports of cracks in the bear strap at the forward upper corner of the forward galley door cutout. This proposed AD would require an inspection of the fuselage skin for existing repairs and applicable on-condition actions. The FAA is proposing this AD to address the unsafe condition on these products.
The FAA must receive comments on this proposed AD by January 9, 2026.
You may send comments, using the procedures found in 14 CFR 11.43 and 11.45, by any of the following methods:
AD Docket: You may examine the AD docket at regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2025-3985; 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 ( printed page 53246) received, and other information. The street address for Docket Operations is listed above.
Material Incorporated by Reference:
Luis Cortez-Muniz, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-3958; email: luis.a.cortez-muniz@faa.gov.
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-2025-3985; Project Identifier AD-2025-00493-T” at the beginning of your comments. The most helpful comments reference a specific 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 regulations.gov, including any personal information you provide. The agency will also post a report summarizing each substantive verbal contact received about this NPRM.
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 Luis Cortez-Muniz, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-3958; email: luis.a.cortez-muniz@faa.gov. Any commentary that the FAA receives that is not specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket for this rulemaking.
The FAA has received reports of cracks in the bear strap at the forward upper corner of the forward galley door cutout on Model 737-600, -700, -700C, -800, -900, and -900ER series (737NG) airplanes. A Boeing investigation determined that the cracks were caused by high operating stresses in the fuselage skin and bear strap due to stress concentration at the corner of the door cutout. Although no cracks have been reported in the same areas on Boeing 737 MAX airplanes, they have a similar design and build process, making those airplanes susceptible to the same crack condition. This condition, if not addressed may lead to the inability of a principal structural element to sustain limit loads and adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane.
Boeing issued Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1407 RB, dated December 20, 2022, to address the identified unsafe condition for Model 737NG airplanes. Subsequently, the FAA issued AD 2024-06-01, Amendment 39-22706 (89 FR 27376, April 17, 2024) to require an inspection of the fuselage skin and the bear strap at the forward galley door cutout forward upper corner for existing repairs, and applicable related investigative and corrective actions, as specified in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1407 RB, dated December 20, 2022.
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.
The FAA reviewed Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1408 RB, dated December 20, 2024. This material specifies procedures for an external general visual inspection of the fuselage skin for any repair and applicable on-condition actions. On-condition actions include repetitive detailed inspection for cracking of the fuselage skin; repetitive external surface high frequency eddy current (HFEC) inspections of the fuselage skin at certain fastener locations and the fuselage skin and bear strap along the edge of door corner radius for cracking; repetitive external subsurface low frequency eddy current (LFEC) inspection of the bear strap at certain fastener locations for cracking; and obtaining instructions from Boeing for alternative inspections or for crack repair.
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.
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 regulations.gov under Docket No. FAA-2025-3985.
The FAA estimates that this AD, if adopted as proposed, would affect 471 airplanes of U.S. registry. The FAA estimates the following costs to comply with this proposed AD:
| Action | Labor cost | Parts cost | Cost per product | Cost on U.S. operators |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| External general visual inspection for repairs | 1 work-hour × $85 per hour = $85 | $0 | $85 | $40,035. |
| ( printed page 53247) | ||||
| External detailed and eddy current inspections for cracks | Up to 4 work-hours × $85 per hour = $340 per inspection cycle | 0 | Up to $340 | Up to $160,140 per inspection cycle. |
The FAA has received no definitive data on which to base the cost estimates for the on-condition repairs or for the alternative inspections specified in this proposed AD.
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.
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.
Accordingly, under the authority delegated to me by the Administrator, the FAA proposes to amend 14 CFR part 39 as follows:
1. The authority citation for part 39 continues to read as follows:
2. The FAA amends § 39.13 by adding the following new airworthiness directive:
The Boeing Company: Docket No. FAA-2025-3985; Project Identifier AD-2025-00493-T.
The FAA must receive comments on this airworthiness directive (AD) by January 9, 2026.
None.
This AD applies to The Boeing Company Model 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 airplanes, certificated in any category, as identified in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1408 RB, dated December 20, 2024.
Air Transport Association (ATA) of America Code53, Fuselage.
This AD was prompted by reports of cracks in the bear strap at the forward upper corner of the forward galley door cutout. The FAA is issuing this AD to address cracks in the fuselage skin and bear strap, which may lead to the inability of the principal structural element to sustain limit loads and adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane.
Comply with this AD within the compliance times specified, unless already done.
Except as specified by paragraph (h) of this AD: At the applicable times specified in the “Compliance” paragraph of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1408 RB, dated December 20, 2024, do all applicable actions identified in, and in accordance with, the Accomplishment Instructions of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1408 RB, dated December 20, 2024.
Note 1 to paragraph (g): Guidance for accomplishing the actions required by this AD can be found in Boeing Alert Service Bulletin 737-53A1408, dated December 20, 2024, which is referred to in Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1408 RB, dated December 20, 2024.
(1) Where Compliance Time columns of the tables in the “Compliance” paragraph of Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1408 RB, dated December 20, 2024, refer to the original issue date of Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1408 RB, this AD requires using the effective date of this AD.
(2) Where Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 737-53A1408 RB, dated December 20, 2024, specifies contacting Boeing for repair instructions or for alternative inspections, this AD requires doing the repair, or doing the alternative inspections and applicable on-condition actions, using a method approved in accordance with the procedures specified in paragraph (i) of this AD.
(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: AMOC@faa.gov. 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.
(1) For more information about this AD, contact Luis Cortez-Muniz, Aviation Safety Engineer, FAA, 2200 South 216th St., Des ( printed page 53248) Moines, WA 98198; phone: 206-231-3958; email: luis.a.cortez-muniz@faa.gov.
(2) Material identified in this AD that is not incorporated by reference is available at the address specified in paragraph (k)(3) this AD.
(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 737-53A1408 RB, dated December 20, 2024.
(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 myboeingfleet.com.
(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 www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/ibr-locations or email fr.inspection@nara.gov.
Issued on October 20, 2025.
Peter A. White,
Deputy Director, Integrated Certificate Management Division, Aircraft Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2025-21093 Filed 11-24-25; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P
3 comments have been received at Regulations.gov.
Agencies review all submissions and may choose to redact, or withhold, certain submissions (or portions thereof). Submitted comments may not be available to be read until the agency has approved them.