FAA Orders Thousands Of Boeing 737s To Undergo Emergency Inspections

The Federal Aviation Administration is ordering emergency inspections of about 2,000 Boeing 737 airplanes because of a possible engine valve problem that could lead to engine failure.

The FAA's emergency air worthiness directive orders inspections of older 737 Classic and Next Generation planes that may have been in storage as a result of sharply reduced air travel demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The directive, dated Thursday, was prompted by four recent reports of single-engine failures due to problems with a critical air check valve. Inspectors found corrosion on some engine air check valves, which can lead the valves to become stuck open and potentially cause both of a plane's engines to lose power and prevent them from restarting.