A United Boeing 737 rotating out of Washington Dulles. [Photo: AirlineGeeks | Peter Weiland]
Key Takeaways:
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued urgent safety recommendations to Boeing and the FAA after a United Airlines 737 experienced jammed rudder pedals during landing.
Investigation revealed the issue stemmed from a manufacturing defect in a Collins Aerospace-made rollout guidance actuator, where an incorrectly assembled bearing allowed moisture to freeze and compromise rudder function.
The NTSB expressed concern over Boeing's current pilot guidance for jammed rudders, recommending Boeing develop safer alternative procedures, notify flight crews of the potential freezing issue, and urged the FAA to consider mandatory removal of affected actuators globally.
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.
