The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued urgent safety recommendations to aircraft manufacturer Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding a critical flight control component on some 737 airplanes. This comes after an incident on Feb. 6, where the rudder pedals on a United Airlines Boeing 737-8 became stuck during landing at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
Upon testing the rudder control components, NTSB investigators found that the components’ functioning was compromised when tested in a cold environment. The components were manufactured by Collins Aerospace, and the investigation revealed that a sealed bearing was incorrectly assembled during production, making the components susceptible to moisture that can freeze and limit rudder system movement.
Boeing was notified that more than 353 actuators delivered since 2017 faced the same condition. The rudder controls rotation along an aircraft’s vertical axis and is a primary flight control mechanism. The NTSB expressed concern that applying maximum force to overpower a jammed rudder during landing could unintentionally cause loss of control.
The NTSB recommended that Boeing notify pilots of the potential jamming of rudder control systems due to moisture and asked the FAA to determine whether affected actuators should be removed. The FAA acknowledged the issue and stated that it will convene a corrective action review board to determine next steps.
Boeing has been facing various issues, including a prolonged strike by 33,000 employees and investigations by federal agencies following incidents involving Boeing aircraft. The company stands to lose at least $1.4 billion during the strike period, affecting suppliers and workers. The FAA has capped Boeing plane production volumes in response to the incidents.
Boeing and Collins Aerospace were contacted for comment on the NTSB report but had not responded by publication time. Please rewrite this sentence.
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