Boeing flags potential delivery delays after learning of misdrilled holes in some 737 MAX fuselages

Boeing is reworking 50 undelivered 737 MAX jets after a supplier’s employee located misdrilled holes in some fuselages, marking the latest production concern for the airplane manufacturer.

Spirit AeroSystems, which has faced scrutiny for other quality issues impacting 737s, supplied the fuselages.

The issue could delay some deliveries in the near future while existing 737s can keep flying, according to Boeing.

“This is the only course of action given our commitment to deliver perfect airplanes every time,” Boeing’s commercial chief Stan Deal said Sunday in a memo to staff.

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Boeing said it is finalizing instructions for the reworking of the jets and expects to determine how long it will take in the coming days. 

Deal said the employee who discovered the issue alerted his manager to two holes that may not have been drilled exactly to the jet manufacturer’s requirements. He added that delays will allow the company to inspect and fix any potential problems.

A spokesperson for Spirit AeroSystems said the company is aware of the issue and is in close communication with Boeing. Last year, misdrilled holes by Spirit AeroSystems on the aft bulkhead of some MAX jets led to production delays.

Boeing has been under regulatory scrutiny after a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight last month, forcing an emergency landing back in Portland, Oregon, shortly after takeoff. The door plug incident, which also involved a Spirit fuselage, followed a string of issues involving the supplier, although none of them resulted in in-flight incidents.

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In the blowout incident, the jet maker and industry officials believe Boeing employees failed to put back the bolts needed to secure the door plug during production.

Deal also said Boeing has recently instructed a major supplier to hold shipments until all parts meet requirements, which would lead to production delays. People familiar with the matter said this supplier was Spirit.

Boeing executives have said the company would review manufacturing practices and eliminate defects. The company said last week that it would not set financial targets for the year while it centers its attention on improving quality.

Investors have raised concerns that heightened scrutiny and Boeing’s efforts to improve its processes could slow deliveries.

The Wall Street Journal contributed to this report.