FAA orders emergency checks of Boeing 737s

WASHINGTON — Safety regulators issued an emergency order directing airlines to inspect and if necessary replace a critical engine part on popular Boeing 737 jets after four reports of engines shutting down during flights.

The Federal Aviation Administration said its order affected about 2,000 twin-engine passenger jets in the United States.

The FAA said operators must inspect any 737 that has been parked for at least seven days or been flown fewer than 11 times since being returned to service because of reports that certain engine valves can become stuck in the open position.

Corrosion of the valves on both engines could lead to a complete loss of power without the ability to restart the engines, forcing pilots to land somewhere other than an airport, the FAA said in the order, issued Thursday.

Boeing Co. said that with planes being stored or used less often during the coronavirus pandemic, “the valve can be more susceptible to corrosion.” The company said it is providing inspection and parts-replacement help to airplane owners.

Major airlines typically fly their planes several times a day. However, they parked hundreds of planes when the pandemic triggered a collapse in air travel this spring and are bringing some of those planes back as passenger traffic has picked up slightly.

Passenger jets have two or more engines, and multiple engine failures are rare — one example was the 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson,” in which US Airways pilots landed their plane on the Hudson River in New York after bird strikes knocked out both engines.

The emergency order applies to versions of the 737 called the NG and Classic. The directive does not apply to the newer Boeing 737 Max, which has been grounded worldwide since March 2019 after two crashes killed 346 people.