The Federal Aviation Administration has issued an airworthiness directive requiring operators of Boeing 737 Max aircraft to inspect fuselages for possible cracks in structural components. The directive is expected to apply to roughly 471 planes and represents a precautionary measure based on issues observed in earlier Boeing models.
The FAA identified cracks in components known as bear straps—structural sheets that support the fuselage around exit doors—on previous generation 737 Next Generation aircraft. While no such cracks have been discovered in 737 Max planes to date, regulators determined that the structural design and manufacturing processes are similar enough to warrant preventative inspections. The FAA stated that if left unaddressed, the issue could compromise the ability of principal structural elements to withstand design loads and potentially undermine overall aircraft structural integrity.
Inspections are scheduled to commence in September and follow a similar inspection regimen the FAA implemented for 737 Next Generation models beginning in 2021. A Boeing representative confirmed the company had been engaged with airlines operating 737s for several years after initially identifying and notifying them of the potential issue in 2019. Boeing stated it supports the FAA directive and is working with airline customers on implementation. The company indicated that the inspection process would provide multiple opportunities to identify and address problems before cracks reach critical size and that engineering modifications are being developed to prevent the issue.
The directive comes amid heightened scrutiny of engineering and manufacturing quality at Boeing. The 737 Max model faced widespread grounding following fatal accidents in 2018 and 2019 that claimed hundreds of lives. More recently, a structural panel detached from a 737 Max during flight in 2024, prompting increased oversight by major customers such as Ryanair, which dispatched engineering personnel to Boeing’s manufacturing facilities to monitor production quality.
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