FAA orders inspections of hundreds of Boeing 737 Max jets over potential cracking
Boeing Co. 737 Max airplanes at the company's manufacturing facility in Renton, Washington, US, on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. Photographer: David Ryder/Bloomberg via Getty Images
The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered inspections of hundreds of Boeing 737 Max aircraft over concerns about potential cracking in the fuselage, FOX Business reported. Boeing said the issue has not been observed on the Max fleet.
Dig deeper:
The FAA’s airworthiness directive applies to certain Boeing 737 Max 8, Max 9 and Max 8-200 aircraft, affecting an estimated 471 U.S.-registered planes. Operators will be required to inspect the fuselage skin and conduct additional inspections or repairs if necessary.
What they're saying:
"This AD was prompted by reports of cracks in the bear strap at the forward upper corner of the forward galley door cutout," the directive states.
"The FAA is issuing this AD to address cracks in the fuselage skin and bear strap, which may lead to the inability of the principal structural element to sustain limit loads and adversely affect the structural integrity of the airplane."
What's next:
The directive is scheduled to take effect Sept. 10, 2026.
Why you should care:
Boeing told FOX Business that the issue was initially identified on certain 737 Next Generation aircraft and has not been found on the 737 Max fleet. The company said inspections were expanded to Max aircraft because the models have similar designs and manufacturing processes.
"Boeing identified and reported this issue and has been working with operators on it over the past six years," the company said.
Boeing first notified operators of 737 Next Generation aircraft about the issue in 2019. The FAA subsequently mandated inspections of those aircraft in 2021.
"The FAA airworthiness directive published today mandates the inspections, as it did for the 737 Next Generation. We support both directives and continue to support our airline customers," Boeing said.
According to Boeing, the inspection process provides multiple opportunities for operators to identify and repair potential cracks before they reach a critical length.
The aircraft manufacturer has also conducted an engineering analysis to identify the root cause and is implementing manufacturing changes designed to prevent the issue.
"Boeing is introducing changes to the manufacturing process that address the root cause of the unsafe condition on in-production airplanes," the FAA directive noted.
The Source: FOX Business contributed to this report. The information in the story comes from an FAA airworthiness directive and statements Boeing provided to FOX Business. This story was reported from Los Angeles.