Key Takeaways
- The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday it was investigating a February incident in which a pilot in a Boeing 737 Max 8 reported stuck rudder pedals during a landing.
- Boeing said in a statement that it would support the NTSB’s investigation and that it worked with United Airlines to diagnose and resolve the rudder issue with the replacement of three parts.
- The rudder investigation is the latest in a series of safety and other issues for the aircraft maker after a January incident in which a door panel detached during an Alaska Airlines flight.
- Boeing shares have lost nearly one-fifth of their value since the start of the year as production delays and safety concerns weighed on investor sentiment.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Thursday it was investigating a Feb. 6 incident in which a United Airlines (UAL) pilot in a Boeing (BA) 737 Max 8 reported stuck rudder pedals during a landing, in the latest of a series of safety and other issues for the aircraft maker.
The stuck pedals didn’t cause an accident and all passengers and crew deplaned without injuries, but another United flight crew was able to replicate the issue on a test flight days later.
After the stuck pedal was replicated, the NTSB was notified and it opened an investigation. The plane in question was removed from service for inspection and maintenance after the initial incident, and the NTSB found that the incident occurred just under a year after Boeing delivered the plane to United on Feb. 20, 2023.
Boeing said in a statement Thursday that it would support the NTSB’s investigation and that it worked with United to diagnose and resolve the rudder issue with the replacement of three parts. The company said the Feb. 6 incident was the only report of this rudder issue Boeing received in the 737 MAX fleet.
The rudder issue is the latest in a string of incidents involving the aircraft maker, including an Alaska Airlines flight in January in which a door panel flew off, leading to the temporary grounding of certain 737 Max 9 aircraft.
Boeing shares have lost nearly one-fifth of their value since the start of 2024 amid the investigations and the company’s decision earlier this year to temporarily suspend its forward guidance for the year.