WASHINGTON, Sept 26 (Askume) – The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board issued an emergency safety alert on Thursday, saying some Boeing (BA.N) 737 planes could be grounded following a crash on a United Airlines flight in February.The rudder control system may be impaired. . Suggestion.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident where the rudder pedals of a United Airlines (UAL.O) Boeing 737 MAX 8 plane became “stuck” in neutral during landing in Newark . The 161 passengers and crew were not injured.
United said the problematic rudder control part was used in only nine of its 737 planes, which were originally built for other airlines. United said Thursday that all of the components were removed earlier this year.
The FAA said it was monitoring the situation closely and would convene a Corrective Action Review Board on Friday “to determine next steps based on the National Transportation Safety Board’s interim recommendations.”
The NTSB said no 737 aircraft in the United States are using the affected actuators, which are installed on some 737 MAX and previous-generation 737 NG planes that include alternate landing systems. The FAA said United was previously the only U.S. carrier able to use the components.
The National Transportation Safety Board on Thursday recommended that Boeing tell flight crews that moisture accumulation within the actuators could cause the rudder control system to seize during takeoff or landing, in addition to “determining the appropriate response by the flight crew.”
It also recommended that the FAA determine whether certain actuators produced by RTX (RTX.N) unit Collins Aerospace should be removed from aircraft and take the planes out of service until replacements are installed. It also wants the FAA to notify international aviation regulators if they decide the components should be removed.
The NTSB said Collins Aerospace determined that bearings were incorrectly assembled during actuator production, a condition that has affected more than 353 actuators delivered to Boeing since February 2017.
Boeing said Thursday that it was reviewing the National Transportation Safety Board’s recommendations and would ensure crews receive appropriate guidance.
The plane maker said in August that it had “informed affected 737 operators about a potential situation where the rudder triggers the roll-out actuator, which is part of the optional autoland system. The autoland system includes redundancy. We are working with our suppliers to develop additional guidance to address this issue.”
RTX said it “will continue to work closely with the NTSB and Boeing on this investigation. We are supporting Boeing and the operators in minimizing the operational impact.”
