Safety Concerns Mount For Boeing, Airbus As NTSB Investigates Smoke Risk Linked To Engines

The National Transport Safety Board, or NTSB, has issued a safety warning over engines used in aircraft manufactured by Boeing Co. BA and Airbus SE EADSF.

What Happened: The agency warned that the CFM International Leap 1B engine could potentially let in smoke into the aircraft's cabin or cockpit when damaged, the agency said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

"The NTSB found that the engine load reduction device, or LRD, a safety feature designed to reduce the severity of vibrations transmitted from a damaged engine to the airframe, can result in damage to the engine oil system." the agency said in the statement before adding that such a condition "can allow smoke" to enter aircraft's the ventilation system.

The agency also recommended evaluating other engines from CFM, like Leap 1A and Leap 1C. The recommendations stem from two separate incidents in 2023 when a bird was ingested into the engines, leading to smoke in the aircraft's cabin.

Why It Matters: The news comes in as the aviation industry has been dealing with the aftermath of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Air India Flight 171 crashed in India's Ahmedabad. The crash resulted in over 241 lives lost.

Another Air India 787 Dreamliner returned to Hong Kong mid-flight due to a technical glitch, which prompted safety concerns. "AI315 returned to Hong Kong shortly after take-off due to a technical issue. The flight landed safely … and is undergoing checks as a matter of abundant precaution," the company stated.

Elsewhere, Boeing is also vying for defense contracts as part of U.S. President Donald Trump's Golden Dome missile defense system. Interim Defense and Space CEO Steve Parker noted that the aerospace giant has “done a lot of work” on the project.

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