The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed an airworthiness directive requiring inspections and corrective action on hundreds of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft registered in the United States after discovering that some passenger seats were installed incorrectly.
According to the FAA, the issue could increase the risk of passenger injuries during an emergency landing if the seats are not properly secured.
The proposed directive, issued on Monday, applies to 453 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft registered in the United States. The agency did not indicate whether international operators would also be affected, although airlines outside the US typically adopt FAA directives when applicable.
Incorrect seat installation identified
The FAA said it had received a report indicating that certain passenger seat assemblies were not correctly installed on the seat tracks.
Each Boeing 737 MAX aircraft may have up to 69 track-mounted passenger seat assemblies. The agency estimated that correcting each affected seat assembly would require approximately one work hour.
Timeline for repairs not announced
The FAA did not specify how quickly airlines would be required to complete the inspections and repairs if the proposed directive is adopted.
Boeing did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the proposed airworthiness directive.
