Recent bird strikes expose more Boeing 737 MAX dangers, NTSB warns

Federal officials are calling for swift action to modify the engines on Boeing’s 737 MAX aircraft after two recent bird strikes caused smoke to fill the cockpit and passenger cabin.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its findings on Wednesday, highlighting a safety issue in the CFM International engines used on the Boeing 737 MAX, according to KOMO News. 

The issue arises when a safety feature designed to protect the engine activates, typically following a bird strike. Although this feature is designed to reduce engine damage, it can inadvertently cause oil to leak onto hot engine parts. This creates thick smoke that could then enter the cockpit or passenger cabin.

Officials demand urgent 737 MAX engine overhaul

In December 2023, a 737 MAX departing New Orleans had to turn around after takeoff when the cockpit filled with smoke. A similar instance occurred nine months earlier on a flight out of Havana, Cuba, when smoke filled the passenger cabin following a bird strike.

The NTSB specified that, although these cases involved birds, similar issues could happen under other engine distress scenarios. The agency is urging immediate updates and broader awareness among pilots, noting that several flight crews operating 737s were unaware of the issue despite prior notifications from Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

In response, Boeing said it is now collaborating with engine maker CFM International on a fix and has updated pilot checklists to promote faster response times. 

The 737 MAX series has faced intense public scrutiny since two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 killed a total of 346 people. While those accidents were linked to faulty sensor data and a flawed flight control system, the recent incidents have continued to raise concerns about the aircraft’s reliability.

Last month, the U.S. Justice Department reached an agreement with Boeing to avoid criminal charges related to misleading regulators during the original certification process of the MAX. Meanwhile, another NTSB investigation is ongoing into a separate safety failure, a blown-out door plug on an Alaska Airlines MAX jet, which has led to production limits on the aircraft.