Four months before the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370, American transport officials warned of a potential weak spot in Boeing 777's which could lead to "loss of structural integrity of the aircraft." The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) issued an Airworthiness Directive in November, advising all 777 operators of the weakness and a recommendation to address the issue - The weak spot related to cracking in the fuselage underneath the aircraft's satellite antennae, which are responsible for GPS, ACARS, ADS-B, and ADS-C antennas and systems. Damage to these antennae could cause a loss of communication, a total decompression of the cabin or a slow loss in cabin pressure.
How safe is the 777? There was a brief flurry of alarm when it emerged that the Federal Aviation Administration had issued an Airworthiness Directive after inspectors found corrosion in one model of the 777 that could have led to a structural failure and loss of cabin pressure. It turned out that the Malaysian 777 was of a model not affected.
