WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Boeing has urged various airline companies to inspect its 737 Max airplanes for a possible loose bolt in the aircraft's rudder control system.
Under consultation with the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing has issued a Multi-Operator Message (MOM), urging operators of newer single-aisle airplanes to inspect specific tie rods that control rudder movement for possible loose hardware.
Boeing recommended the inspections after an international operator discovered a bolt with a missing nut while performing routine maintenance on a mechanism in the rudder-control linkage. The company discovered an additional undelivered aircraft with a nut that was not properly tightened.
The aircraft manufacturer said the technical glitch identified on the particular airplane has been resolved, but did not reveal the name of the airline.
FAA said it is closely monitoring targeted inspections of Boeing 737 MAX airplanes, the fourth generation of the Boeing 737 series.
The FAA will remain in contact with Boeing and the airlines while the inspections are underway.
The federal aviation authority said it is asking the airlines to work through their approved Safety Management Systems to identify whether any loose hardware has been detected previously and to provide the agency with details on how quickly these two-hour inspections can be completed.
The FAA will consider additional action based on any further discovery of loose or missing hardware.
An airplane's rudder is used to control the aircraft while in flight.
Boeing 737 MAX airplanes were grounded after hundreds of passengers were killed in an accident in Indonesia in October 2018 and in Ethiopia five months later.
FAA gave clearance for the narrow-body airliner to restore passenger flight operations in 2020.
Boeing has delivered more than 1,370 aircraft in the 737 MAX series.
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