NTSB Urges Fix on Boeing 737 Max Engines After Smoke Incidents

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has urged Boeing to quickly modify the engines on its 737 Max airplanes to prevent smoke from filling the cockpit or cabin after a safety feature, the load reduction device, activates following a bird strike. This issue came to light after two bird strike incidents involving Southwest Airlines flights in 2023, which caused smoke to fill the cockpit or passenger cabin due to oil being released into the hot engine, generating smoke. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing have warned airlines and pilots about the problem and are working on a fix. The safety device was designed to limit damage when an engine is compromised, but it inadvertently causes smoke by burning released oil, leading to safety concerns. The NTSB also recommended that European and Chinese regulators evaluate similar engine models used on Airbus A320neo and Chinese C919 planes to see if they face the same risk. Pilots can manually cut off airflow to limit smoke, but smoke can fill the cabin rapidly, prompting calls for a permanent solution from engine manufacturer CFM International, which is collaborating with airframers to address the issue.