Airplane maker Boeing is urging airlines to inspect 737 Max jets for a possible loose bolt in the rudder control system, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Thursday.
The FAA said it is closely monitoring the targeted inspections of the Boeing 737 Max and will consider additional actions based on further discoveries of loose or missing hardware.
Boeing recommended the inspections after an international operator performing routine maintenance discovered a bolt with a missing nut on a mechanism in the rudder control linkage, the FAA said.
Boeing subsequently discovered another undelivered aircraft whose nut was not properly tightened, the agency said.
The plane maker has recommended that airlines inspect their Max jets within two weeks, but delivered 737 Max planes can continue to fly safely, Boeing said.
Airplane manufacturer Boeing is urging airlines to inspect 737 Max jets for a possible loose bolt in the rudder control system, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said Thursday
“The problem identified on the affected aircraft has been resolved,” Boeing said.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we encourage operators to inspect their 737 Max aircraft and notify us of any findings. We have informed the FAA and our customers and will continue to keep them informed of progress.”
Production and delivery of the Max will continue without interruption. The issue does not affect older 737 Next Generation aircraft, Boeing said.
Shares of Boeing fell 0.67 percent at the closing bell on Thursday.
United Airlines American Airlines, two major domestic customers of the MAX, each said they did not expect inspections to impact operations.
Southwest Airlines, a U.S. carrier that flies exclusively the 737 NG and MAX, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The FAA said Boeing issued a notice urging operators of newer single-aisle aircraft to inspect specific tie rods that control rudder movement for possible loose hardware. The rudder determines the position of an aircraft's nose during flight.
The inspections include removing an access panel and validating that the hardware is properly installed, Boeing said. The process should take two hours and Boeing inspects undelivered 737 MAX planes before handing them over to customers.
Boeing recommended the inspections after loose bolts were found on two planes. CEO Dave Calhoun is seen above
“The FAA will remain in contact with Boeing and the airlines as inspections are ongoing,” the agency said, asking airlines to respond if loose hardware has previously been detected and provide details on how quickly these inspections can be completed.
Any problem involving a rudder malfunctioning would likely be identified during a pre-flight check, as flight crews routinely examine the rudder system before an aircraft pushes back from the gate, Boeing said.
The inspections will help the FAA determine how widespread the problem is and whether it is a sign of a larger decline in production quality that will require the regulator to take further action, said Anthony Brickhouse, an air safety expert at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
“Airlines need to take it seriously,” he said. “But as a member of the flying public, I don't see this as an issue to be concerned about.”
The 737 Max was grounded worldwide for 20 months after two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 killed 346 people in Ethiopia and Indonesia.
Both crashes were related to an issue with the automated flight stabilization software in the Max, which was subsequently fixed to regain FAA approval.
Boeing is still waiting for certification of its smaller 737 Max 7 and larger Max 10.
The FAA has set the Max. The FAA said in 2021 that it was tracking all 737 Max aircraft using satellite data.