Alaska Airlines N704AL, a 737 Max 9, which made an emergency landing at Portland International ... [+]
The Federal Aviation Administration has published a new proposed airworthiness directive for Boeing
The FAA was prompted to issue the AD following a report of “a non-conforming installation of spoiler wire bundles that led to unintended spoiler motion, including one instance of spoiler hardover.”
Spoilers are panels mounted on wings that, when extended, disrupt airflow over the wings, resulting in increased drag and less lift. If a spoiler ‘hardovers,’ it has reached its maximum limit and is effectively jammed.
FAA Reports ‘Multiple Unusual Spoiler Deployments’ On 737 MAX Planes
A person works under the wing of a Boeing 737 MAX 8 passengers aircraft of Southwest airlines at La ... [+]
The FAA has received reports of “multiple unusual spoiler deployments, which resulted in an un-commanded roll to the right” during the cruise phase of flight.
The FAA investigation “identified the potential for a hardover of more than one flight spoiler on the same wing, which can exceed full lateral control capability leading to loss of control of the airplane.”
In the cases reported, the “spoilers” warning light on the aircraft affected switched on, and the spoiler control electronics issued a spoiler fault code. The FAA says the fault was “intermittent and was seen on multiple flights.” The root cause was determined to be “wire chafing damage due to spoiler control wire bundles riding on the landing gear beam rib in the right wing trailing edge due to non-conforming installation of spoiler wire bundles that occurred during production.”
The FAA issued a notice of proposed rule-making after determining that the “unsafe condition..is likely to exist or develop on other products of the same type design.”
Boeing issued an alert bulletin for this issue on July 14, 2023. The bulletin notifies operators and maintenance organizations of necessary inspections and repairs. It specifies procedures for measuring spoiler control wire bundle clearance and details how to ensure adequate clearance when the fault is found.
The FAA’s proposed AD would make completing the tasks specified by Boeing’s alert bulletin mandatory to address this “unsafe condition” on Boeing’s 737–8, 737–9, and 737–8200 MAX planes. “The agency has no way of determining the number of aircraft that might need these repairs,” the FAA notes in the advisory bulletin. It estimates costs for inspection at $85, and repairs at $425.
Boeing Has More Issues To Address
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 24: Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun speaks to reporters as he departs from a ... [+]
The FAA has also asked Boeing to address a 737 MAX design problem that could disable the jet’s anti-ice system, potentially leading to “loss of thrust on both engines.” Boeing must also address a separate de-icing fault that affects Boeing Model 787–8, 787–9, and 787–10 Dreamliner airplanes in service.
Following an unfavorable report by an Organization Designation Authorization Expert Review Panel examining Boeing’s Safety Management System, the FAA has given the aircraft manufacturer a 90-day deadline to present a turnaround plan. Boeing must detail corrective actions that would address the expert panel’s findings and multiple non-conformances identified during a six-week FAA audit.
The Department of Justice is conducting a criminal investigation into the Alaska Airlines
Boeing has admitted it could not find documents to explain why the door plug was removed and replaced during Spirit AeroSystems
According to reports, the DOJ will look into whether Boeing complied with the terms of its 2021 settlement after two deadly crashes attributed to faults in Boeing’s 737 MAX Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System.
