Boeing to inspect 471 737 Max jets over fuselage cracks near door

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered Boeing to inspect 471 of its 737 Max aircraft for cracks in the fuselage. The checks cover the Max 8, Max 9 and Max 8-200 variants, with regulators concerned that damage may have gone unnoticed on some planes.

According to the FAA, cracks have already been found on several jets in the structure near the forward service door on the right-hand side. Affected aircraft will not be allowed to return to service until all defects are repaired. Boeing said its engineering analysis of what caused the cracks is complete, and the company is now working on design changes to prevent similar issues in the future.

The latest problem adds to Boeing's ongoing troubles, which began in January 2024 when a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines jet mid-flight. The National Transportation Safety Board determined that four bolts meant to hold the plug in place were missing when the aircraft was delivered to the airline in October 2023.