FAA Issues AD for Boeing Jet Fuselage Cracks

New airworthiness directive targets 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 models following reports of fatigue cracks near door cutouts.

Meg Godlewski

Monday, August 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

A Boeing 737-9 undergoing test flights at Paine Field in Seattle. [Credit: AirlineGeeks/Katie Zera]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Boeing 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 airplanes.
This AD addresses the discovery of cracks on the "bear strap," a structural metal sheet reinforcing the fuselage skin around door cutouts.
The cracks could compromise the aircraft's structural integrity by preventing principal structural elements from sustaining limit loads.
The directive mandates inspections of the fuselage skin, becomes effective on September 10, and will affect an estimated 471 aircraft.

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The FAA is adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Boeing 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 airplanes stemming from the discovery of cracks on the structural metal sheet that reinforces the fuselage skin around door cutouts.

According to the AD, the agency received reports of cracks in this metal known as the “bear strap” at the forward galley door cutout. The AD requires an inspection of the fuselage skin for existing repairs and applicable on-condition actions.