Landing gear issues for 737s and 757s
THE FEDERAL Aviation Administration (FAA) has released a proposed airworthiness directive (AD) aimed at Boeing 737 and 757 main landing gears (MLGs). It follows a failure on a 767 MLG after “a grinder used to machine the inner diameter of the MLG outer cylinders was operating outside of its input parameters, which may have caused heat damage to the outer cylinders.” Damage could lead to the cylinder overheating and compromise its structural integrity. Investigators found the same faulty grinder technique had been used on 166 737s and 20 757s at the same MRO facility. Boeing previously issued alert bulletins in January 2025, urging inspections of 1,833 737s and 399 757s, focusing on the main gear outer cylinders and replacing damaged parts. The FAA proposal would transform that into a mandate for all US operators, affecting around 2,200 aircraft.