Air Mishaps, ‘Service Difficulty Reports’ Highlight 737 Max Safety Issues

Newsreel Asia Insight #112
Jan. 25, 2024

Akasa Air has announced it is purchasing 150 Boeing 737 Max jets, a model also operated by SpiceJet and Air India Express. The 737 Max has been under intense scrutiny and embroiled in controversy following two fatal crashes that precipitated its global grounding in 2019. Presently, renewed safety concerns regarding the aircraft have emerged.

The Boeing 737 Max, once Boeing’s fastest-selling plane, faced a severe crisis following the crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 on Oct. 29, 2018,  in Indonesia, which resulted in the loss of 189 lives, and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 on March 10, 2019, killing 157 people. Investigations revealed flaws in the plane’s design, particularly the Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), which was implicated in both accidents.

These revelations led to a global grounding of the fleet in March 2019, a move unprecedented in modern aviation history. Boeing later said it had since made significant changes to the 737 Max, addressing the issues identified in the MCAS and enhancing pilot training requirements. Aviation authorities worldwide, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the United States and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, eventually lifted the grounding orders between November 2020 and January 2021.

However, in January 2024, the FAA has imposed restrictions on the production of 737 MAX jets but have allowed grounded jets to fly again once airlines complete necessary inspections, The Wall Street Journal reported on Jan. 24. This decision follows the grounding of most of Boeing’s MAX 9 jets on Jan. 6, after an incident involving an Alaska Airlines flight where a door plug detached from the aircraft, leaving a large hole.

The FAA’s production limits are specific to the 737 MAX and do not affect other Boeing commercial aircraft, the Journal clarified, adding that the agency has decided to maintain the current production rate of the 737 MAX, which is about 30 jets per month.

Further, over the past three years, there have been over 1,800 service difficulty reports (SDR) filed by operators of Boeing’s 737 Max planes in the United States, averaging more than one per day, according to a U.S.-based publication, The Level, which said these reports have been submitted to government regulators, highlighting various safety issues with the aircraft since it was cleared to fly again after the two deadly crashes.

An SDR is a formal documentation filed by aircraft operators – and also maintenance organisations, or manufacturers – to report problems, defects, or malfunctions encountered with an aircraft, its components, or systems. These reports are a critical aspect of aviation safety management and are used to inform regulatory authorities about issues that could affect the safety and airworthiness of aircraft.

Notably, Alaska Airlines, which experienced a mid-air cabin breach in January 2024, has filed the majority of these reports.

From December 2020 to September 2023, Alaska Airlines submitted over 1,230 reports concerning its fleet of 53 Boeing 737 Max planes. In contrast, only 25 reports were filed for its 10 Airbus A321 Neo airplanes during the same period. The Foundation for Aviation Safety, a non-profit organisation, compiled these federal safety reports, revealing numerous issues with the 737 Max, including fuel leaks, malfunctioning stabilising motors, debris in fuel tanks, engine stalls during takeoff and faulty anti-ice systems.

Considering the issue at hand, how should India respond? The regulatory landscape in India presents unique challenges in the context of aviation safety and the integration of aircraft like the Boeing 737 Max.

India’s aviation sector is one of the fastest-growing in the world, an expansion that requires robust regulatory oversight to ensure safety standards keep pace with growth. The country’s diverse geography, varying weather conditions, and high-density air traffic in certain regions demand stringent operational standards and consistent regulatory enforcement.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation regulatory body, has a critical role in ensuring the safe operation of these aircraft, despite facing resource constraints, including manpower for inspections, audits and oversight. On Jan. 6, the DGCA asked airlines in the country to inspect the emergency exits on the Boeing 737-8 Max in their fleet, as reported by The Economic Times. It must continue to rigorously enforce continuous oversight to ensure that the issues that led to the previous tragedies are not repeated.

It is imperative for Indian airlines operating the 737 Max to adopt a transparent and proactive stance on safety. This involves ensuring comprehensive training for their crews and addressing any concerns raised by pilots or passengers swiftly and effectively.