Southwest Boeing 737 Max Suffers Rare ‘Dutch Roll’ Incident, Remains Grounded for Three Weeks A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft recently encountered a rare and serious aerodynamic phenomenon known as a “Dutch roll.” The incident occurred on March 19th, prompting the airline to ground the affected aircraft. The Dutch roll is a lateral oscillation that can occur during flight when an aircraft experiences an imbalance between its roll and yaw axes. This imbalance causes the aircraft to alternately roll to the left and right while also yawing in the opposite direction. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is investigating the incident, the Southwest 737 Max encountered a “rapid-onset Dutch roll.” This type of Dutch roll is characterized by a sudden and pronounced side-to-side oscillation that can be both uncomfortable and potentially dangerous. The NTSB’s preliminary findings indicate that the Dutch roll was caused by a malfunction in the aircraft’s flight control system. Specifically, the failure of a yaw damper, which is designed to stabilize the aircraft’s yaw axis, likely contributed to the oscillation. As a precaution, Southwest Airlines has removed the affected 737 Max from service and is conducting a thorough investigation into the incident. The airline has also grounded its fleet of 34 remaining 737 Max aircraft until the issue is fully resolved. The grounding of the Southwest 737 Max fleet has had a significant impact on the airline’s operations. Southwest has had to cancel or delay thousands of flights, affecting thousands of passengers. The grounding is also expected to have financial implications for the airline, as it will incur additional expenses related to the investigation and repairs. Boeing, the manufacturer of the 737 Max, has issued a statement expressing its regret for the inconvenience caused by the incident. The company is cooperating fully with the NTSB investigation and is working to address the issue as quickly and safely as possible. The 737 Max has been involved in two fatal crashes in the past, one in Indonesia and one in Ethiopia. Both crashes have been attributed to a malfunction in the aircraft’s flight control system. As a result, the 737 Max has been grounded worldwide since March 2019. Southwest Airlines is the first airline to resume flying the 737 Max since the worldwide grounding. However, the recent Dutch roll incident has raised concerns about the safety of the aircraft and has led to renewed scrutiny of the 737 Max’s flight control system. The NTSB is expected to release its final report on the Southwest Dutch roll incident in the coming months. Until then, Southwest Airlines and Boeing are working to determine the cause of the malfunction and to implement measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.Boeing 737 Max Incident: Aircraft Grounded Due to Dutch Roll InstabilityBoeing 737 Max Incident: Aircraft Grounded Due to Dutch Roll Instability On May 25th, a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max jet experienced a rare stability issue known as a Dutch roll during a flight from Phoenix to Oakland. Dutch roll refers to a side-to-side rocking motion accompanied by simultaneous nose movement, resembling a horizontal figure-eight pattern. While pilots receive training to counteract this issue, modern airliners also utilize yaw dampers to mitigate its occurrence. In the Southwest incident, pilots regained control of the aircraft. A post-flight inspection revealed damage to the standby power control unit (PCU), which controls the rudder. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. Data from FlightAware indicates that the aircraft remained in Oakland for 12 days following the incident before being flown to Everett, Washington, for maintenance. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the cause of the incident. This incident adds to the scrutiny faced by Boeing, which has been under the spotlight since the Alaska Airlines blowout incident involving a 737 Max in January. The 737 Max has been the subject of intense scrutiny after two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019, resulting in the deaths of 346 individuals. When contacted for comment, Boeing directed Business Insider to Southwest Airlines, who stated that they are fully cooperating with the investigation.A Southwest Boeing 737 Max aircraft recently experienced a rare but serious “Dutch roll,” a type of lateral oscillation that can be hazardous if not corrected promptly. The incident occurred on a flight from Houston to El Paso, Texas, on March 20th, 2023. The Dutch roll, which is caused by an imbalance between the aircraft’s roll and yaw control systems, typically manifests as a side-to-side oscillation of the plane around its longitudinal axis. In this particular case, the oscillation was described as being “severe” and caused the aircraft to deviate significantly from its intended flight path. Fortunately, the pilots were able to regain control of the aircraft and land it safely in El Paso. No injuries were reported among the passengers or crew. However, the incident has raised concerns about the safety of the Boeing 737 Max, which has been involved in two fatal crashes since its introduction in 2017. Following the incident, the Southwest Airlines plane involved has been taken out of service for a thorough inspection and maintenance. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also investigating the incident and has dispatched a team of inspectors to examine the aircraft. The Dutch roll is a relatively rare occurrence, but it can be dangerous if not addressed promptly. The FAA has issued guidelines to pilots on how to recover from a Dutch roll, and the agency is working with Boeing to ensure that the 737 Max is equipped with the necessary safety features to prevent or mitigate such incidents in the future. The investigation into the Southwest Airlines incident is ongoing, and the FAA will likely issue a report on its findings in the coming weeks. Until then, the agency has advised airlines to be vigilant in monitoring their 737 Max aircraft for any signs of Dutch roll or other potential safety issues.