The National Transportation Safety Board is issuing ‘urgent safety recommendations’ for some Boeing 737s, warning that critical flight controls could jam.
The agency says that an actuator attached to the rudder on some 737 NG and 737 MAX airplanes could fail.
The warning comes after the NTSB investigated an incident in February, where the pilots of a United Airlines MAX 8 reported their rudder pedals “stuck” in the neutral position during their landing in Newark, New Jersey.
The agency says the captain used the nosewheel steering tiller to control the airplane’s direction after touching down. No one onboard was hurt and there was no damage to the aircraft.
Investigators found evidence of moisture in both actuators, which failed testing. Collins Aerospace, which created the actuators, said a sealed bearing was incorrectly assembled during production.
353 actuators that Collins delivered to Boeing since 2017 were reportedly impacted.
According to the NTSB, Boeing’s 737 flight manual instructs pilots confronted with a jammed or restricted rudder to ‘overpower the jammed or restricted system (using) maximum force, including a combined effort of both pilots’
The NTSB says it is concerned that this amount of force applied during landing or rollout could ultimately cause a rudder deflection, resulting in losing control of the aircraft.
The NTSB is recommending that Boeing come up with an alternative solution and warn pilots about the issue.