AD FAA-2012-1073

We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 767-300 series airplanes. This AD was prompted by a report that certain airplanes might not have reinforcement straps installed on the center overhead stowage bins in the passenger compartment, and some installed reinforcement straps might not have been bonded. For certain airplanes, this AD requires performing an inspection of reinforcement straps to ensure they are correctly bonded to the center overhead stowage bins, and bonding the reinforcement straps to the center overhead stowage bins if necessary. For certain airplanes, this AD requires installing reinforcement straps on the center overhead stowage bins. We are issuing this AD to prevent missing or incorrectly bonded reinforcement straps, which could result in the center overhead stowage bins breaking loose at forward load levels less than 9g during an emergency landing, causing injury to passengers and delaying emergency evacuation.