AD 96-23-17 61 FR 58983

This amendment adopts a new airworthiness directive (AD), applicable to certain de Havilland Model DHC-8-102 and -103 series airplanes, that requires repetitive external inspections to detect cracks in the skin exterior of the fuselage at floor level, and repair, if necessary. This amendment also requires repetitive internal inspections to detect cracks of the subject area, which terminates the repetitive external inspections. This amendment is prompted by a report that one of the tasks in the Maintenance Program Airworthiness Limitations List inadvertently excluded certain airplanes from the instructions for the inspections. The actions specified by this AD are intended to prevent undetected cracking of the frames and skin panels of the fuselage, which could result in reduced structural integrity of the airplane.