SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) — The U.S. transportation authority said on Monday that at least 40 foreign air operators might be using Boeing 737 airplanes with rudder components that could pose safety risks.
“I remain concerned that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as a whole, did not take this issue more seriously until we issued our urgent safety recommendation report, despite the risk of loss of control of an airplane or runway departure due to a jammed or restricted rudder control system, caused by a defect in certain rollout guidance actuators,” U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy said in a letter to FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker.
Homendy said she was disappointed that in the six months since the NTSB issued its preliminary report on the incident, the FAA has not initiated urgent actions to address the risk of jammed rudder controls.
Homendy noted that the FAA has been downplaying the urgency of this issue, maintaining that the units are no longer in service. “According to information that the agency received from Boeing and provided to the FAA, this is incorrect,” she said.
The NTSB issued urgent safety recommendations to Boeing and the FAA on Thursday regarding the potential for a jammed or restricted rudder control system on some 737 airplanes.
The NTSB is investigating an incident on Feb. 6, in which the rudder pedals on a United Airlines Boeing 737-8, a MAX variant, were “stuck” in their neutral position during the landing rollout at Newark Liberty International Airport, Newark, New Jersey, said the agency.
NTSB investigators tested a rollout guidance actuator, one of the rudder control components from the incident airplane, at the component’s manufacturer, Collins Aerospace. When the incident actuator and an identical unit from another airplane were tested in a cold environment, the actuators’ function was significantly compromised.
Collins Aerospace subsequently determined that a sealed bearing was incorrectly assembled during the production of the actuators, making the unsealed side more susceptible to moisture that could freeze and limit rudder system movement.
Boeing’s August 23, 2024, Multi Operator Message stated that 353 affected actuator units were delivered to Boeing starting in February 2017.
Of these 353 units, 73 have not yet been installed on airplanes. Another 271 affected actuators that may be installed on aircraft in service operated by at least 40 foreign air carriers, according to the NTSB.
In addition to the 353 affected actuators Collins provided to Boeing, Collins sent 75 affected actuators directly to operators for aftermarket installation.
The NTSB expressed concern that airlines may not be aware of the presence of these actuators on their 737 airplanes.
Homendy wrote in the letter that it is essential that aftermarket installations of affected actuators be clearly addressed.
“Not making operators fully aware of the installed systems and equipment on the airplanes delivered to them is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated any longer,” Homendy told Whitaker.
In a statement, the FAA said it has convened a team to address the issue, is sending notification to airlines internationally, and will do more simulator testing. “We thank the NTSB for the recommendations, and we are taking them seriously,” the FAA said. ■