US regulators are requiring operators of more than 500 US-registered Boeing 737-300, -400 and -500 “classic” aircraft to inspect the slat assemblies on the wings for damaged, missing or incorrectly assembled hardware that could cause fuel leaks and fires when the mechanisms operate for takeoffs and landings.

The final airworthiness directive (AD) issued by the US FAA complements an AD issued in September 2007 for Boeing Next Generation (NG) 737-600, -700, -800 and -900 and -900ER models after a China Airlines 737-800 was destroyed by fire in Naha, Japan on August 20, 2007. The AD called for repetitive inspections of the slats every 3,000 cycles.

In the China Airlines accident, loose parts pierced a fuel tank when the slats were r

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