Boeing Asks Airlines To Inspect All 737 Max Jets For Missing Bolt

Boeing has asked airlines to inspect all of their 737 Max jets for a potential loose bolt in the rudder system after an airline discovered a potential problem with a key part on two aircraft, as reported by Gregory Wallace for CNN.

Boeing said the plane with the missing bolt was fixed, but it wants to ensure all 1,370 737 Max planes in service worldwide are checked for similar problems. I Photo: The Boeing Company Facebook

An unnamed international airline found a bolt with a missing nut in a rudder-control linkage mechanism while conducting routine maintenance – and it found a similar bolt that wasn’t properly tightened in a yet-to-be-delivered plane.

An airplane’s rudder is used to control and stabilize the aircraft while in flight.

Boeing said the plane with the missing bolt was fixed, but it wants to ensure all 1,370 737 Max planes in service worldwide are checked for similar problems.

“The issue identified on the particular airplane has been remedied,” a Boeing spokesperson said in a statement.

“Out of an abundance of caution, we are recommending operators inspect their 737 Max airplanes and inform us of any findings.”

Boeing informed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which said Thursday that the inspection involves looking for “a possible loose bolt in the rudder control system.” The task takes about two hours, according to the FAA, and airlines will report progress on their inspections to the regulator.

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