By Ben Glickman

Boeing 737 MAX airplanes are being inspected for potential loose bolts in the rudder control system.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday it was "closely monitoring" the inspections and would consider additional action based on the discovery of loose or missing hardware.

Boeing has asked operators of newer single-aisle airplanes to inspect certain tie rods that control rudder movement, according to the FAA.

The FAA said Boeing recommended the inspections after an operator discovered a bolt with a missing nut while performing routine maintenance. Boeing found a nut that was not properly tightened in an undelivered aircraft.

"The issue identified on the particular airplane has been remedied," a Boeing spokesperson said. The company is recommending inspections "out of an abundance of caution."

Major carriers, including United Airlines and American Airlines, said they didn't expect any impact to their operations. American said it would complete the recommended inspections, and United referred further queries to Boeing.

Alison Sider contributed to this article.

Write to Ben Glickman at ben.glickman@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

December 28, 2023 12:45 ET (17:45 GMT)

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