Overview
- Boeing first learned of the fault after an operator report in November 2024, initially judged it below its safety-review threshold, and began a formal review this month after more operator feedback.
- The company told all 737 operators in August 2026, issued interim advisories that reinforce pilot procedures and a reset step after a missed approach, and says engineers are accelerating a permanent software update originally planned for 2028.
- The Federal Aviation Administration has convened a Corrective Action Review Board to assess the problem and said it will take immediate action if the issue is judged a safety concern.
- Several major carriers including Southwest and United have refused new MAX deliveries with the affected software and asked for earlier versions; Boeing cannot yet say how many jets carry the update because airlines are not required to notify the manufacturer when they install software.
- The flaw can arise after a missed approach when crews change a preprogrammed flight path and vertical navigation (VNAV) can disengage, which raises pilot workload at low altitude and draws sharper scrutiny because of the MAX family’s past safety problems.