Boeing 737 Max grounded for two weeks after “Dutch Roll” incident

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A Boeing 737 Max has been grounded for 20 days after it suffered a dangerous in-flight Dutch roll, causing the plane to sway from side to side, in another worrying incident for the struggling airline.

The Southwest Airlines flight was en route from Phoenix, Arizona, to Oakland, California, with 175 passengers and six crew members on board when it performed a “Dutch roll,” an “unsafe” movement in which the tail wags and the wings flap, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The June 12 incident report states that although the pilots regained control of the aircraft, a post-landing inspection revealed “damage to the standby control unit” that supplies emergency power to the main rudder.

Although no passengers were injured, the report says, the damage to the aircraft was “significant.”

It is unclear when the plane will be able to fly again.

“The FAA is working closely with the NTSB and Boeing to investigate this incident. We will take appropriate action based on the findings,” the FAA said in a statement to The IndependentThe agency noted that other airlines had not reported similar problems.

Boeing referred to Southwest Airlines’ statement.

A spokesman for the airline referred questions to the NTSB and FAA, adding: “Southwest is participating in and assisting with the investigation.”

The Independent sent the NTSB an email requesting comment.

This incident is just the latest in a series of problems that have plagued Boeing aircraft in recent months. Perhaps the most famous accident occurred in January when a door plug flew out during travel on an Alaska Airlines flight.

The aerospace company is also embroiled in potential litigation. Not only have passengers on the Alaska Airlines flight sued in January, but the company is also battling with the Justice Department.

The Justice Department alleged last month that Boeing violated the terms of an agreement that allowed the company to avoid criminal prosecution after two fatal crashes – one in 2018 and one in 2019 – involving its 737 Max plane. Boeing argued just this week that it had kept its part of the agreement.

Boeing is also encountering potential problems internally. Despite the deaths of two whistleblowers, about 50 current and former Boeing employees have expressed a desire to speak out about safety concerns, a lawyer said earlier. The Independent.