Boeing 787 and 747 fuel tank inspections ordered by FAA after safety concerns over potential ignition risk

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered inspections on dozens of Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Boeing 747s after identifying conditions that could allow an ignition source to develop inside a fuel tank during a lightning strike.

The US aviation regulator has issued two airworthiness directives (ADs) covering 60 US-registered Boeing 787s and 31 Boeing 747s. This requires airlines to carry out inspections and, where necessary, repairs.

In its order affecting the Boeing 787, the FAA warned that the issue, ‘if not addressed, could result in development of an ignition source within the fuel tank volume and a risk of a fuel tank explosion during a lightning strike event.’

The directives take effect on 7 December 2026.

Dreamliner inspection order follows production concerns

The FAA said the issue on certain Boeing 787-8, 787-9 and 787-10 aircraft stems from reports that some sealant installations inside the centre wing fuel tank did not undergo the required visual and adhesion checks during production.

In other words, the FAA is concerned that potential sealant defects may not have been detected because the required inspections were not completed.

Airlines will now be required to inspect the sealant in affected areas of the aircraft, looking for defects, inadequate adhesion and surface depressions before carrying out any necessary repairs.

The FAA stressed that the directive is limited to a specific group of aircraft and not the wider 787 fleet. In fact, the FAA said it had confirmed that the required inspections are now being carried out during production on aircraft outside the scope of the order.

The regulator estimates the checks will take around 34 work-hours per aircraft and cost approximately $2,890 per jet.

Separate issue affects Boeing 747s

A second FAA directive targets certain Boeing 747-400 and 747-8 aircraft. This time, the concern centres on pumps located in the aircraft’s tail fuel tank.

According to the FAA, wear inside the pump assembly could expose metal surfaces and create a potential ignition source in the presence of fuel vapours.

The agency is replacing an earlier requirement for a one-off inspection with repeated checks designed to monitor the condition of the components over time.

Around 31 US-registered aircraft are affected, with each inspection cycle expected to cost airlines about $1,530 per aircraft.

What have the airlines said?

Boeing and American Airlines both sought clarification during the consultation process. Boeing successfully argued for airlines to be allowed to use existing approved repair procedures, while American Airlines asked for further detail on the inspection requirements.

The FAA has not grounded any aircraft as part of either directive.