FAA Orders Inspections Of 471 Boeing 737 Max Jets Over Cracks Threatening Structural Integrity

FAA orders 737 Max checks

The US Federal Aviation Administration ordered operators of Boeing 737 Max jets to undertake checks for cracks in a component that could undermine structural integrity, with the directive affecting 471 jets made by the US company. The FAA said the directive would take effect on September 10, 2026, and it would apply to in-service new-generation Max models including the 737-8, 737-9, and 737-8200 variants.

The order followed reports of cracks in a structural support near the upper corner of the aircraft's forward galley door, and the FAA said the cracks could spread to the fuselage. The Hill reported that the FAA’s directive impacts three 737 Max models— the Max 8, Max 8-200 and Max 9— amounting to around 470 planes, and that the directive would require inspection of the bear strap and the fuselage skin.

Reporting for this sectionThe NationalThe Hill

Boeing says issue found

Boeing said it had been working with airline customers over the past six years after identifying the issue, and it told The National that the FAA-mandated checks stem from similar inspections for older generation 737NG jets in 2021.

The National quoted a Boeing representative saying, "This issue has not been observed on the 737 Max fleet, but Boeing extended the inspections to 737 Max airplanes as the model shares a similar design and build process," and added that the plane maker supports both orders.

The Hill reported that the FAA determined the directive’s required actions and compliance times provide an acceptable level of safety, and that the order reads, "The FAA determined that the [directive’s] required actions and compliance times provide an acceptable level of safety."

The Hill also said the directive beginning Sept. 10 would require inspection of the bear strap and the fuselage skin, and that the FAA said cracks could lead to an unsafe condition on in-service airplane without ordering the grounding of 737 Maxes.

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Regulatory scrutiny and next steps

The Hill tied the new directive to heightened focus on the 737 Max since January 2024, when a door plug flew off an Alaska Airlines 737 Max while it was 14,830 feet in the air. The Hill reported that after the incident, the FAA placed a cap on the number of these planes Boeing could produce, which it said slightly increased in October 2025.

The Hill also said that on July 27 the FAA proposed another directive requiring inspection of seat assemblies on the same Boeing 737 Max following reports of faulty seat installations, though it has not yet been enacted. The National added that the latest FAA directive comes as Boeing seeks to improve manufacturing quality and increase production under chief executive Kelly Ortberg, following heightened regulatory scrutiny, and it noted that about 2,300 Boeing 737 Max aircraft are currently in service around the world, including 823 in the US.

Reporting for this sectionThe HillThe National