Boeing Urges Airlines to Inspect 737 Max Airplanes for Loose Bolts

The Federal Aviation Administration (F.A.A.) has announced that Boeing is urging airlines to inspect all 737 Max airplanes for a potential loose bolt in the rudder-control system. This comes after an international airline discovered a bolt with a missing nut during routine maintenance.

Discovery of Loose Bolt

After the unidentified international airline reported the missing nut, Boeing found that an undelivered 737 Max also had a nut that was not properly tightened. As a result, Boeing is recommending inspections for all 1,370 of its delivered 737 Max aircraft since 2017, as well as its undelivered planes.

Boeing’s Response

In a statement, Boeing assured that the issue identified on the specific airplane has been resolved. However, as a precautionary measure, the company is advising operators to inspect their 737 Max airplanes and report any findings.

F.A.A. Monitoring and Flight Crew Checks

The F.A.A. is closely monitoring the inspections and will consider further action if additional instances of loose or missing hardware are discovered. Boeing emphasized that there have been no “in-service incidents” caused by loose hardware, as flight crews routinely conduct checks before departure to ensure proper rudder functionality.

Inspection Process and Impact on Airlines

Inspecting the rudder-control system involves removing an access panel and visually confirming the correct installation of the bolt. Boeing estimates that each inspection will take approximately two hours per plane. Major American airlines, including United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines, operate the 737 Max aircraft. These airlines have stated that they do not expect the inspections to affect their operations, with Alaska Airlines planning to complete the inspections by the first half of January.

History of the 737 Max

The 737 Max has faced significant challenges in the past. In 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 crashed into the ocean, resulting in the loss of all 189 passengers and crew members. Less than five months later, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed, claiming the lives of all 157 people on board. These incidents led to the global grounding of the Max. However, after implementing changes to the plane, including the flight control system, the F.A.A. cleared it to fly again in late 2020. Boeing has faced legal consequences and settlements related to the crashes.

Sources:

• F.A.A. Closely Monitoring Inspections of Boeing 737 Max Airplanes
• Indonesia Plane Crash: Last Moments and Flight Path
• Ethiopian Airlines Crash Updates: Inquiry Shows Jet Was in Unstable Condition
• Boeing 737 Max Was Plagued With Problems Before Fatal Crash
• Boeing 737 Max Is Cleared by F.A.A. to Fly Again
• Boeing Fires C.E.O. Dennis Muilenburg
• Boeing Reaches $2.5 Billion Settlement Over 737 Max Crisis
• Boeing Reaches $200 Million Settlement With S.E.C. Over 737 Max Crisis