Boeing in Trouble: Hundreds of Planes to Be Inspected After Cracks Found

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered inspections of 471 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in the US after cracks were found in the structural reinforcement around the forward service door. The planes will not be grounded, but any crack found will require repair before returning to service. The directive takes effect on September 10. Boeing said it has conducted an engineering analysis and is working on future changes.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a new airworthiness directive requiring inspections of 471 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft registered in the United States, following the discovery of cracks in the structural reinforcement area around the forward service door on the right side of the aircraft, near the forward galley. The directive applies to MAX 8, MAX 9, and MAX 8-200 models. Airlines will be required to inspect the area according to a schedule determined by the usage of each aircraft, and to repair any cracks before returning to service. The FAA has not ordered the planes to be grounded, explaining that inspection intervals provide opportunities to detect cracks before they compromise structural integrity. The directive takes effect on September 10. Boeing said it has conducted an engineering analysis to determine the cause of the cracks and is working on engineering changes to prevent the problem in the future. The company noted that the issue has not been observed in the 737 MAX fleet, but it has expanded inspections to this model as well since it shares similar design and manufacturing processes with earlier models. This is not the first time Boeing has faced structural cracks: in 2019, inspections were ordered on some 737-700, 737-800, and 737-900 aircraft after cracks were found in the component connecting the fuselage to the wings. Last month, the FAA proposed another directive to inspect seat assemblies on 453 737 MAX aircraft over concerns they were installed incorrectly. The manufacturer has been under increased scrutiny since a door plug on an Alaska Airlines aircraft detached during a flight in January 2024; the NTSB determined that four bolts were missing when the aircraft was delivered in October 2023.