“Federal aviation regulators on Monday will order special inspections and, if needed, replacement of improperly manufactured parts on more than 1,000 Boeing Co.BA +0.41% 737 jets that could cause pilots to lose control.
Industry officials said the directive is unusual because it applies to factory defects potentially affecting such a large number of planes, particularly relatively new versions of the most widely used jetliner flown by carriers world-wide.
The Federal Aviation Administration’s safety mandate covers certain corrosion-prone pins used to attach movable tail panels to the jetliner’s fuselage.
The order was prompted by “reports of an incorrect procedure used to apply the wear and corrosion protection surface coating” to the affected parts, which the agency determined could result “in premature failure” of the attachments and potentially “loss of control of the airplane,” the directive says.
The suspect parts, which haven’t caused any accidents, help secure so-called horizontal stabilizers that control the up-and- down movement of the nose.
The directive takes effect in late May and gives airlines various compliance times based on the age of aircraft and other factors. The compliance deadlines are far enough ahead that they aren’t expected to have an impact on airline schedules…..”
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