Additional Coverage:
Federal authorities are looking into a unique swaying movement experienced by a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8, possibly linked to a malfunctioning backup power-control unit. This announcement was made on Thursday by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is conducting the investigation alongside Boeing and the National Transportation Safety Board following an incident on a flight from Phoenix to Oakland on May 25. Southwest Airlines has also confirmed its cooperation with both the FAA and Boeing in this matter.
The swaying movement, known as a “Dutch roll,” involves a combination of side-to-side (yaw) and rocking motions, similar to the movements of a Dutch skater, as described by the FAA. This phenomenon occurred while the aircraft was cruising at approximately 34,000 feet. Although pilots are trained to handle such situations, the occurrence is noteworthy, particularly as the aircraft, carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, managed to safely land in Oakland about an hour later without any reported injuries.
Further investigations into the flight have been somewhat hampered as the Cockpit Voice Recorder, capable of only recording the last two hours, had overwritten the relevant data before the NTSB was notified of the incident nearly two weeks after it took place. However, valuable data has been gleaned from the flight’s Cockpit Data Recorder.
An initial examination by the FAA revealed damage to a component responsible for supplying backup power to the aircraft’s rudder. This finding is considered particularly significant by CBS News Aviation Safety analyst Robert Sumwalt, who emphasized to CBS News senior transportation and national correspondent Kris Van Cleave the potential severity of unplanned flight control movements, especially when they result in substantial damage.
It’s noteworthy that this issue appears to be isolated to this particular aircraft, with Southwest reporting no similar incidents across other Max jets in its fleet and the FAA indicating that no other airlines have reported comparable problems. The aircraft, which has been in service for just over a year since its delivery in November 2022, was temporarily repaired in Oakland before being sent to Boeing’s facility in Everett, Washington, for more extensive repairs.
This incident adds to ongoing concerns surrounding the 737 Max series, following a recent episode where a new Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 was temporarily grounded after a door plug was dislodged during flight.