NTSB recommends quick modifications to 737 Max engines
The issue came to light during two 2023 flights in Havana, Cuba and New Orleans when smoke filled the cockpit or cabin after a strike, according to the Associated Press.
Both Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned pilots about the issue, which the NTSB said is caused by a safety feature known as a load reduction device.
'This is a case of an unintended consequence of a new and innovative safety idea where if the fan gets unbalanced that this is a way to alleviate the load and thereby doing less damage to the engine, the engine pylon, all of that,' aviation safety expert John Coxtold the AP.
The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China's C919 planes and Airbus A320neo planes have similar reactions.
The engine's manufacturer, CFM International, said the company is working on a software update to mitigate the issue in a joint venture with GE Aerospace and Safran Aircraft Engine.
CFM said the current model is 'aligned with the NTSB's recommendations and the work is already underway, in close partnership with our airframers, to enhance the capability of this important system,' per AP.
Boeing told The Hill on Friday that they 'support' the NTSB recommendation.
The FAA said 'the engine manufacturer develops a permanent mitigation, we will require operators to implement it within an appropriate timeframe,' according to AP.
Several 737 pilots told the outlet they were unaware of previous incidents caused by the load reduction device after bird strikes.
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