US FAA Mandates Boeing 737 MAX Rudder Loose Bolt Inspections

The fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737-9 MAX, which was forced to make an emergency landing with a gap in the fuselage, is seen during its investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Portland, Ore., on Jan. 7, 2024. NTSB/Handout via Reuters

WASHINGTON—The Federal Aviation Administration said on Thursday it was formally mandating inspections in Boeing 737 MAX airplanes for loose bolts in the rudder control systems after the planemaker recommended them in December.

The FAA said all U.S. airlines had completed the inspections in early January and found no missing or loose rudder bolts. The inspection requirement issued on Thursday fulfills U.S. international continued operational safety obligations.