Summary
The FAA is revising an earlier NPRM for an airworthiness directive (AD) that applies to certain EMBRAER Model ERJ 170 airplanes. The original NPRM would have required replacing the mini-latches on certain lavatory waste compartment doors with new, stronger latches, and other specified actions. The original NPRM resulted from reports of certain lavatory waste compartment doors opening during flight due to movement of the waste compartment during takeoff, because the mini- latches installed on the doors of those compartments lose their strength over time. This action revises the original NPRM by adding airplanes to the applicability. We are proposing this supplemental NPRM to prevent the inability of the waste compartment doors to adequately contain a fire inside the lavatory waste compartment, and consequent uncontained fire and smoke within a lavatory during flight.