FAA investigating Boeing 737 ‘Dutch roll’ incident, ‘substantial’ damage
globalnews.caBoeing 737 jet owned by Southwest Airlines has been grounded amid a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigation into a rare mid-air manoeuvre called a “Dutch roll” that occurred mid-flight.The plane was travelling from Phoenix, Ariz., to Oakland, Calif., on May 25 when the yawing movement occurred nearly 32,000 feet (almost 9,750 metres) in the air.According to a 2022 Boeing safety pamphlet about Dutch rolls, the motion occurs when a plane moves in two axes as it tips from wingtip to wingtip while the tail rocks side to side. A Dutch roll can be caused by both wind and pilot input, but is nauseating for passengers in either circumstance.Federal officials said the Dutch roll may have been caused by damage to the jet’s backup power-control unit (PCU), which commands the jet’s vertical rudder.The damage was discovered during a post-flight inspection of the aircraft.The Boeing 737 has been grounded since the flight.
An FAA incident report revealed there were 175 passengers and six crew members onboard Flight N8825Q.No injuries were reported, and the plane landed safely in Oakland after pilots were able to regain control of the Boeing 737 following the Dutch roll. The FAA has declared the incident an accident, and Boeing has declined to comment about the incident.Authorities said the damage to the jet is “substantial.”Federal officials told CBS News there have been no other reports of similar issues at other airlines.
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