Missing washer of Indian airline operated Boeing 737 Max found: DGCA

New Delhi (Uttam Hindu News): The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday said a washer found missing during a recent checkup of a Boeing 737 Max operated by an Indian airline has been located. This happened when Alaska Airlines grounded all of its Boeing 737-9 planes after one plane had to make an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon, with a window and part of the fuselage missing.

The US aerospace giant issued a global advisory late last month, urging Max operators to conduct thorough inspections for loose hardware. Particular attention was focused on the nuts securing the tie rods responsible for controlling rudder movement.

Vikram Dev Dutt, director general of the aviation watchdog, said, “Based on information received from the operator of a missing nut and washer in the aft rudder quadrant of the Boeing 737MAX airplane, Boeing has conducted a ground-level inspection of all Boeing 737MAX airplanes before January 10 for possible loose hardware. A one-time inspection is recommended.”

The Indian Boeing 737MAX fleet of 40 is operated by Akasa (22), SpiceJet (9) and Air India Express (9). “Except one aircraft in which a washer was found missing, inspection of 39 aircraft has been completed with zero findings,” Dutt said. Improvement actions have been taken as per Boeing’s recommendations prior to release of this aircraft. Inspection of the remaining one aircraft will be completed before this.”