FAA Expands Landing Gear Checks After Improper MRO Work

The FAA plans to order Boeing 737 and 757 operators to review maintenance or conduct inspections to ensure aircraft do not have improperly maintained landing gear components.

A pair of notices of proposed rulemaking set for publication July 8 would mandate the inspections, which Boeing recommended in January 2024. Checks would be required for specific part and serial numbers listed in Boeing’s service bulletins.

The issue stems from a 2020 incident in which an Omni Air International 767-300 landing at Bucharest Aurel Vlaicu Airport had its left main landing gear bogie collapse. Romanian investigators concluded the gear’s outer cylinder was damaged during a 2015 overhaul at an unidentified MRO facility.

They also determined that more than 300 outer cylinders for multiple aircraft types underwent the same “abusive” grinding process as the Omni gear that failed and recommended in a 2024 final report that Boeing and the FAA investigate the issue and take appropriate action.

Boeing’s recommendations focus on having all aircraft types in the affected fleets inspected or their maintenance records checked to ensure one of the suspect MLG cylinders is not installed. If suspect parts turn up, they should be replaced. The FAA’s proposed rules are based on Boeing’s instructions.

A similar program for the 767 fleet gave operators 30 months to conduct initial inspections and either 46 months or 130 months to replace parts listed, depending on certain parameters. The FAA mandated the 767 inspections in January.