Last week, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued urgent safety recommendations to Boeing regarding the potential for rudder jamming on some 737NG and 737 MAX variants.
The issue was uncovered after an investigation into an incident in February identified manufacturing problems with a rudder actuator unit.
The investigation of the rudder pedal anomaly involved a United Boeing 737-8 that occurred while landing at Newark Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, on February 6, 2024.
On Monday 30 September, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy sent a letter to Federal Aviation Administration chief Mike Whitaker. It disclosed that 353 affected rudder actuator units had been delivered to Boeing. Of these, 271 units may be presently installed on aircraft in operation by over 40 airlines worldwide.
Homendy raised serious concerns that many airline operators may still be unaware of the presence of an affected actuator unit on their aircraft. The FAA’s failure to take the issue seriously, as well as Boeing’s lack of communication with United, also drew stern criticism.
NTSB Concerns with FAA Response
In yesterday’s communication with the FAA, Homendy clearly expressed disappointment with the FAA’s general response to the issue. Homendy criticized the FAA for not taking the issue seriously enough until the NTSB’s urgent safety recommendation report.
“I am disappointed that it does not appear that the FAA has initiated urgent actions to address the risk of jammed rudder controls in the 6 months since our preliminary report on this incident was issued,” she stated.
The NTSB Chair also noted that the FAA has been downplaying the urgency of the problem and incorrectly claiming that affected units are no longer in service.
“According to information that we have received from Boeing and provided to the FAA, this is incorrect,” said Homendy.
Lack of Communication by Boeing
Another major issue highlighted in the FAA letter is the lack of appropriate communication. Boeing failed to inform United Airlines about the presence of these actuators on delivered 737 airplanes.
As a result, many airline operators may still be unaware that their aircraft have affected actuator units. This lack of awareness means that flight crews might not be prepared for potential failures during critical flight phases.
Moving Forward
The NTSB is now calling for immediate action by the FAA to address the risk of jammed rudder controls. They are also emphasizing the need for clear communication about aftermarket installations of affected actuators.
Furthermore, the NTSB is demanding full disclosure to airlines about installed systems and equipment on delivered airplanes.
The potential for rudder jamming poses a significant safety risk, especially during critical flight phases like landing. Proper awareness and preparedness among airlines and flight crews are essential to mitigate these risks.
Last week, the NTSB confirmed that no US airlines are now operating 737 aircraft with the affected rudder actuators.
The tone of the NTSB’s communication with the FAA makes the seriousness of the situation abundantly clear. “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,” the letter warned.
An FAA review board convened last Friday to discuss corrective action. They said that they are “moving quickly to convene a call with the affected civil aviation authorities to ensure they have the information they need from the FAA including any recommended actions”.
As the investigation continues, the FAA’s continued response to these urgent safety recommendations now remains to be seen.
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