The series of breakdowns with the Boeing 737 MAX continues. After a Ryanair plane in Italy recently had to be evacuated due to a burning engine, the US aviation safety authority has now reported new problems with this aircraft type.
The US National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB ) is warning more than 40 airlines worldwide about possible faulty actuators in the rudder of over 270 aircraft. The authorities were alerted by an incident in February 2024, in which the pilots of a United Airlines plane reported after landing that the rudder was blocked and no longer responding. Investigations revealed that moisture had penetrated the actuators, which then froze and blocked the rudder.
This problem could lead to a complete blockage of the rudder control system.
It has been criticized that flight crews could be overwhelmed by such a failure, especially at low altitudes or during landing, which represents a significant safety risk. How the 40 airlines affected will react to this problem is still unclear. It is also unclear which airlines are affected, as this has not been communicated.