Summary
This document revises an earlier proposed airworthiness directive (AD) applicable to certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-10 series airplanes, and KC-10A (military) airplanes, that would have required repetitive inspections to detect failure of the attachment fasteners located in the banjo No. 4 fitting of the vertical stabilizer. That proposed AD also would have required a one-time inspection to detect cracking of the flanges and bolt holes of the banjo No. 4 fitting, and repair or replacement of the attachment fasteners with new, improved fasteners. In addition, the proposed AD would have required a one-time inspection to determine whether certain fasteners are installed in the banjo No. 4 fitting of the vertical stabilizer, and follow-on actions, if necessary. That proposal was prompted by reports of failure of certain fasteners installed in the banjo No. 4 fitting of the vertical stabilizer. This new action revises, among other actions, the proposed rule by amending certain corrective actions. The actions specified by this new proposed AD are intended to prevent cracking of the attachment fasteners of the vertical stabilizer, which could result in loss of fail-safe capability of the vertical stabilizer and reduced controllability of the airplane.