A United Boeing 737 rotating out of Washington Dulles. [Photo: AirlineGeeks | Peter Weiland]
Key Takeaways:
The NTSB issued urgent safety recommendations to Boeing due to a potential rudder jamming issue on some 737 aircraft, following a February incident where a United Airlines 737's rudder pedals became stuck.
Investigation revealed the problem stems from incorrectly assembled rollout guidance actuators (manufactured by Collins Aerospace), allowing moisture to freeze and compromise rudder movement in cold conditions.
The NTSB recommends Boeing develop alternative flight crew responses to rudder malfunctions (beyond applying maximum force) and notify pilots, while also advising the FAA to determine if affected actuators should be removed from service.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) made urgent safety recommendations to Boeing on Thursday, citing discovery of a potential issue involving the rudder of some 737 aircraft.
According to an NTSB statement, the FAA has also been made aware of the potential for the rudder to jam or become unresponsive because of the failure of a rollout guidance actuator.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
