Arlington, Virginia – United Airlines pilots reported a new federal investigation involving a 737 Max aircraft after experiencing jammed flight controls during a recent landing in Newark. The incident prompted the National Transportation Safety Board to look into the matter, as stated in a preliminary report released following the February 6 occurrence.
According to the NTSB, the pilots of the Boeing 737 Max 8 encountered issues with the rudder pedals during the landing rollout, affecting the airplane’s yaw control. Fortunately, none of the 161 passengers on United flight 1539 were injured, and the plane was safely returned to the gate. Subsequent testing by United maintenance crews confirmed the reported rudder system malfunction.
This latest incident marks another investigation involving a relatively new Boeing 737 Max aircraft, following a previous door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9. The specific 737 Max 8 aircraft involved in the recent occurrence was delivered to United Airlines from Boeing in February 2023, the NTSB disclosed.
After disabling the faulty servo, United Airlines collaborated with Collins Aerospace, the manufacturer of an autopilot servo connected to the 737 Max 8 rudder controls, for cold temperature tests. The investigation revealed that the servo’s output crank arm was causing the rudder pedals to malfunction. United Airlines expressed gratitude towards its pilots and maintenance teams for their professionalism in addressing the issue.
Although this is the first reported instance of such an issue on a 737 Max aircraft, similar occurrences were reported twice in 2019 on the previous model of the 737. The 737 Next Generation, which utilized a rudder pedal system, experienced the same issue, which was resolved by replacing parts on the plane.
Boeing acknowledged the collaboration with United Airlines to address the rudder response issue, successfully resolving it by replacing three parts on the aircraft. United Airlines clarified that the faulty parts were not part of their typical aircraft configuration, as the plane was originally intended for another airline before going to United instead. The companies pledged to continue working with the NTSB and the FAA to ensure the safety and reliability of the aircraft moving forward.