DGCA may issue advisory after U.S. warning on Boeing 737’s jammed rudder system

U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said more than 40 foreign operators of Boeing 737 airplanes, including 737 MAXs, maybe using aircraft with rudder components that could pose safety risks.

Following the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) warning about a jammed rudder control system on some Boeing 737 planes, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is expected to issue an advisory to Indian airlines about the mitigation measures pilots may adopt.

A senior official said that as an “interim measure”, it will ask Indian operators to notify their crew that rudder control system might get jammed inflight or during landing due to moisture that could accumulate and freeze in the actuator. Further, crew will be advised to refer to the flight manual called Quick Reference Handbook (QRH).

Among the Indian airlines, Air India Express, SpiceJet and Akasa have the Boeing 737 planes in their fleet. However, the problem pertains specifically to actuators manufactured by Collins Aerospace.

On Monday, the NTSB said more than 40 foreign operators of Boeing 737 airplanes, including the 737 MAXs, maybe using planes with rudder components that could pose safety risks. The NTSB did not identify the airlines.

Last week, the U.S. body issued urgent safety recommendations about the possibility of jammed rudder control on some 737 aeroplanes following an inquiry into a February incident involving a United Airlines flight. It warned Boeing and the U.S. aviation safety watchdog, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), that the instructions contained in the QRH manual, which require pilots to exert maximum force on the rudder pedal in case of a jammed system, including a combined effort of both pilots, may lead to loss of control or departure from a runway because of a large input to the rudder pedals.

It recommended that Boeing “determine appropriate flight crew responses besides applying maximum pedal force” for such situations in flight or during landing.

Additionally, the NTSB recommended that the FAA determine if actuators with incorrectly assembled bearings should be removed from airplanes, and if so, to direct U.S. operators to do so until replacements are available.

Published - October 01, 2024 10:13 pm IST