Investigation into a recent incident raises concerns about manufacturing process.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a safety alert this week, informing flight crews of a heightened risk of jammed rudder movements in Boeing 737 airplanes. Rudder pedals control an airplane’s direction while landing. Recently, the rudders of a Boeing 737 Max would not move even after the flight crew applied around 32 pounds of force to the controlling rudder pedals. The plane still landed safely with no damage to the plane and no injuries to the 155 passengers and six crew members.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) still investigated the incident and found that a sealed bearing was incorrectly assembled during production. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy wrote a letter to FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker sharing concerns “of the possibility that other airlines are unaware of the presence of these actuators on their 737 airplanes.”
The FAA sent its safety alert to international aviation agencies, notifying them of the issue. Boeing said that they would also notify necessary parties.
“We continue to work under the oversight of regulators regarding the actuator on an optional autoland system on a subset of 737s. We have reminded operators of the proper actions that flight crews should take if they encounter rudder restriction,” Boeing stated.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For FAA Administrator Whitaker as he oversees efforts to ensure air travel safety and improve Boeing accountability.
- For NTSB Chair Homeny and members of the board to be discerning as they encourage changes to the FAA’s practices regarding airplane manufacturing.
Sources: The Hill, USA Today
