FAA Orders Inspections for Boeing 767 Landing Gear Amid Safety Concerns

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) that could impact up to 574 Boeing 767 aircraft, requiring inspections of their landing gear. This directive follows a maintenance-related incident that raised serious safety concerns.

The AD, issued on January 8, 2025, specifically targets US-registered Boeing 767-200s, 767-300s, and 767-300 Freighters. The FAA highlighted the catalyst for the directive: a main landing gear (MLG) collapse incident during maintenance. According to the FAA, the event occurred due to a grinder operating outside its input parameters, leading to potential heat damage to the MLG’s outer cylinder.

Photo by Chihaya Sta

Effective Date and Preceding Boeing Bulletin

The directive will come into effect on February 12, 2025, aligning with safety measures outlined in a Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin issued nearly a year earlier, on February 6, 2024. That bulletin advised Boeing 767 operators to perform checks within 30 months to determine whether the left and right Main Landing Gear Outer Cylinders were among the affected serial numbers.

Boeing 767 Landing Gear Inspection and Replacement Requirements

Aircraft identified with impacted MLG Outer Cylinders will require replacements based on a timeline specified by the bulletin. Depending on the serial number, operators must replace the cylinders within 30, 46, or 130 months from the bulletin’s issuance date. This ensures compliance with safety measures to prevent further risks.

FAA Statement on the Directive’s Importance

The FAA emphasized the significance of the directive, stating,

“The FAA is issuing this AD to address any heat damage to the outer cylinder of the landing gear, which could result in the inability of a principal structural element to sustain limit load, gear collapse resulting in loss of control of the airplane, and potential for off-runway excursion.”