The United States transport accident investigator has hit out at the federal aviation regulator for failing to take urgent action over a potentially dangerous defect affecting “at least 40” Boeing 737s operated by non-US carriers.
In a highly critical letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy criticised the FAA’s slow response to the issue.
The defect, found in a rudder control system actuator, can cause jammed or restricted rudder controls, potentially leading to loss of aircraft control or runway excursions.
According to Boeing, around 271 affected actuators may be installed on aircraft operated by at least 40 foreign air carriers, with another 16 potentially installed on US-registered aircraft.
Homendy’s letter, dated 30 September 2024, follows the NTSB’s urgent safety recommendations issued last week to Boeing and the FAA.
The recommendations were made after an incident in February 2024 when a United Airlines 737 MAX 8 experienced jammed rudder pedals during landing at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
The NTSB Chair expressed disappointment that the FAA hadn’t taken more urgent action in the six months since the preliminary report on the incident was issued, especially given that the FAA was aware of two similar incidents with foreign operators in 2019.
Homendy said the FAA had been “downplaying the urgency of this issue” and had incorrectly said that the defective actuators were no longer in service.
She urged the FAA to take swift action to address the issue and implement the NTSB’s safety recommendations.
“Not making operators fully aware of the installed systems and equipment on the airplanes delivered to them is unacceptable and cannot continue to be tolerated,” she said.
Photo: Matthew Thompson/Boeing
737MAX-8: TakeOff from Renton Field; 2016-01-29; K66500-01
