Boeing has identified a software issue with its 737 MAX that could deactivate an automated navigation feature following a missed landing, which may force pilots to operate the aircraft manually without certain autopilot functions during high-pressure moments, a recent report indicates.
This glitch has arisen from a recent update to the cockpit software and can occur when pilots alter their route after calling off a landing, as detailed by the Wall Street Journal.
Under specific conditions, some autopilot capabilities might not be available, which can leave pilots flying manually at lower altitudes—potentially in adverse weather or other challenging situations, the report highlights.
Boeing informed airlines at the end of August that it does not view this issue as a safety concern, according to the Journal.
“We conveyed information to operators to reinforce existing protocols for pilots to manage these situations safely,” Boeing stated in a communication referenced by the Journal.
They also mentioned that engineers are currently developing a software fix to resolve the problem permanently.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is looking into the glitch, and might take measures if it concludes that the issue poses a safety threat, according to a senior FAA official cited in the report.
This situation has stirred apprehension among some major domestic airlines, including Southwest Airlines and United Airlines, who have indicated to Boeing that they prefer not to receive any new MAX jets equipped with the problematic software, instead requesting an earlier software version.
As for Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest, and United, they reported that none of their MAX jets are currently using the affected software.
Boeing has stated that airlines have the option to revert to a previous software version, the Journal noted.
Interestingly, Boeing isn’t quite sure how many MAX aircraft currently have this updated software since airlines aren’t obligated to inform the company when they make upgrades.
According to aviation-data firm Cirium, there are 2,422 MAX 8 and MAX 9 jets in operation globally.
This glitch could present yet another hurdle for Boeing as it attempts to move past several years of safety issues with the 737 MAX.
The plane was at the center of two tragic crashes—Lion Air Flight 610 in October 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in March 2019—that resulted in a total of 346 fatalities.
Both incidents were linked to the MCAS, a flight-control system from Boeing that could inappropriately push the aircraft’s nose down due to incorrect angle-of-attack data.
The recent software issue is distinct from the MCAS malfunctions associated with those previous crashes. Following the accidents, regulators globally grounded the MAX, and the FAA did not permit its return to service in the U.S. until November 2020, imposing additional requirements for software, cockpit procedures, training, and more.
Boeing’s stock has plummeted approximately 39% since the first MAX crash in late October 2018, dropping from $324.59 that day to around $198 as of the latest reports.
In January 2024, the MAX faced renewed scrutiny when a door plug detached from an Alaska Airlines 737-9 shortly after takeoff.
Federal investigations later revealed that four bolts necessary to secure the plug had not been installed during factory work on that specific aircraft.
The National Transportation Safety Board attributed the oversight to insufficient training and guidance from Boeing, as well as inadequate FAA oversight.
In the wake of this incident, the FAA grounded 171 MAX 9 aircraft, intensified inspections at Boeing and its supplier Spirit AeroSystems, and halted Boeing’s plans to increase MAX production until quality-control improvements are implemented.
