According to the DGCA, inspections of 39 out of 40 aircraft had been completed with no finds, with the exception of one where a missing washer was discovered.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which oversees civil aviation, announced on Tuesday that a single Indian B737Max aircraft was discovered to have loose hardware, and corrective action was initiated. This was reported after a foreign operator found a bolt lacking a nut on December 28 while doing standard maintenance. Boeing had consequently advised all airlines to perform an inspection of their B737 Max fleet.
Boeing advised a one-time check of all Boeing 737 MAX aircraft before January 10 for potential loose hardware, according to DGCA, based on information from an operator of a missing nut and washer in the Aft Rudder Quadrant (a metal fitting). “With the exception of one aircraft where a missing washer was discovered, 39 (out of 40) aircraft have had their inspections completed with no findings,” the DGCA stated.
Before this aircraft was released, “rectification action as per recommendations of Boeing has been taken,” the statement continued. We expect a statement from Boeing regarding this development. The regulator stated, “The last aircraft will undergo inspection before being released for service.”40 Boeing 737 Max aircraft are registered in India, according to the DGCA, and are flown by Akasa (22), SpiceJet (9) and Air India Express (9).
However, Boeing stated that “the issue identified on the particular aeroplane has been remedied” in a statement released on December 30 and it has advised operators to inspect their 737 MAX aircraft and notify them of any findings due to a “abundance of caution.”
The statement read, “We have notified the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of our progress and will keep them updated.”
