WASHINGTON– Before making a successful landing, a Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft encountered an unusual but potentially dangerous issue known as a Dutch roll.
The reason of the incident that occurred during a Southwest Airlines flight last month is being looked into by the Federal Aviation Administration.
The aircraft, which was cruising at 32,000 feet on May 25, encountered an uncontrollable side-to-side yawing motion known as a Dutch roll less than an hour after takeoff from Phoenix. According to an FAA preliminary investigation, the pilots of Southwest flight 746 were able to regain control, and the aircraft made a safe landing in Oakland.
Shem Malmquist, an instructor at Florida Tech and a commercial pilot who flies the Boeing 777, stated, “A Dutch roll is definitely not something that we like to see.”
According to Malmquist, “it’s pretty rare on modern airplanes,” since the aircraft’s systems are built to guard against a Dutch roll. However, he added, it’s critical that pilots understand how to react in such a situation.
Malmquist stated, “In this instance, they were, obviously.” “That instruction is extremely, extremely important.”
Less than two years have passed since the Dutch roll incident involving the Boeing 737 Max 8. A post-flight inspection, as reported by the FAA, found damage to a backup power control unit, or PCU. The plane’s tail rudder movements are managed by that mechanism.
The aircraft stayed in Oakland until June 6th, when it took off for Everett, Washington, home of one of Southwest Airlines’ maintenance contractors.
Following two Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft crashes in 2018 and 2019, which resulted in the deaths of 346 people, Boeing has been attempting to regain the confidence of federal regulators and the flying public.
In the 1990s, there were multiple mishaps and crashes involving earlier models of the 737, which were eventually attributed to issues with the tail rudder.
The reason behind the Southwest flight’s loss of control was not immediately apparent. Similar issues have not been reported by any other carriers.
Southwest Airlines was contacted by Boeing regarding the event, however they chose not to comment.
According to the FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board and Boeing are closely collaborating on the investigation.
The FAA issued a statement saying, “We will take appropriate action based on the findings.”