The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a critical safety recommendation concerning the engines used in select Airbus and Boeing passenger aircraft. Specifically, these recommendations target the CFM International LEAP-1B engines utilized in the Airbus A32neo and Boeing 737 Max jetliners.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the NTSB expressed concern about the engine's load reduction device—a feature designed to mitigate vibrations from a damaged engine affecting the main airframe. The board highlighted that this device could interfere with the engine's oil system, potentially allowing smoke from overheating oil to infiltrate the cockpit or passenger cabin.
This recommendation follows an unsettling incident in December 2023, during which a Southwest Airlines flight on a Boeing 737-8 encountered a serious situation when its left engine ingested a bird. The flight deck became filled with acrid smoke to the extent that the pilot had trouble seeing the instrument panel. Although the crew managed to don their masks, clear the smoke, and safely return to New Orleans without injuries to anyone onboard, the incident raised significant safety alarms.
In light of these findings, the NTSB has urged the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to ensure that operators keep flight crews informed about the aircraft equipped with the affected engines. In response, Boeing has amended its flight manuals to aid pilots in preventing smoke incursions into the cockpit or cabin when the load reduction device is activated.
Moreover, the safety board has proposed that aviation regulators in Europe and China investigate whether other versions of the CFM LEAP engine face similar vulnerabilities. They've recommended that the FAA and the European Aviation Safety Agency implement software changes developed by CFM and Boeing to enhance safety.
It's worth noting that the Boeing 737 Max model is under scrutiny, having previously been involved in two fatal crashes between 2018 and 2019, leading to the deaths of 346 people, which prompted a temporary grounding of the aircraft until a redesign of its flight sensor system was completed. Additionally, in May, the Justice Department reached an agreement with Boeing to evade criminal charges related to allegedly misleading regulators about the 737 Max.
As concerns about the safety of the U.S. air transit system intensify, particularly after several high-profile incidents this year—including a mid-air collision near a D.C. airport and a plane crash in Philadelphia—the urgency of the NTSB's recommendations is underscored.
5 Comments
Michelangelo
It's good they are going beyond just the US, great cooperation!
Facilitator
They're investigating Europe and China? Sounds like a diversion tactic to me.
FreeGuy
The Southwest incident in New Orleans was glossed over. This doesn't inspire confidence.
BuggaBoom
Software updates can often address these kinds of problems. Improvements are being made!
Eugene Alta
Boeing's reputation keeps taking hits. I may never fly on a 737 Max.