The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended on June 18, 2025, that CFM International engines on Boeing 737 MAX airplanes be quickly modified. This recommendation follows two 2023 bird strike incidents involving Southwest Airlines planes, one in Havana and another in New Orleans, where smoke filled the cockpit or cabin.
The NTSB found that when a safety feature, called a load reduction device, is activated after a bird strike, it can inadvertently release oil into the hot engine, causing smoke. This smoke then feeds directly into the cockpit or passenger cabin, depending on which engine was struck.
CFM International and Boeing are actively working on a software update to address this issue, which is expected in the first quarter of next year. The FAA has agreed with the NTSB's recommendations and will require operators to implement the permanent mitigation once developed.
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