Summary
This document proposes the adoption of a new airworthiness directive (AD) that is applicable to certain McDonnell Douglas MD-11 series airplanes. This proposal would require the installation of an electrically controlled slat system. This proposal is prompted by numerous incidents of inadvertent deployment of the slats while the airplane was in flight at cruise altitude. The actions specified by the proposed AD are intended to prevent inadvertent deployment of the slats during flight, which could result in an abrupt pitch up of the airplane and consequent injury to crew and passengers; it could also result in significant vibrations and cause damage to the elevators.