NTSB · Safety Recommendation
Safety Recommendation A-25-006
Recommendation
TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION: Require all operators of Boeing 727 and 737 airplane models that use the same bannis latch design as Boeing 757 airplanes (757-200, -200CB, and 300 series) to update their aircraft maintenance manuals (AMM) in accordance with the revised Boeing AMMs and illustrated parts catalogs recommended in Safety Recommendation A-25-9.
Safety Issue and Context
On October 4, 2023, about 2347 eastern daylight time, the flight crew of FedEx flight 1376, a Boeing 757-236, received an engine indication and crew alerting system message indicating a failure of the left hydraulic system shortly after takeoff from Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport-Lovell Field (CHA), Chattanooga, Tennessee. The flight crew turned the airplane back to CHA but was unable to lower the landing gear. After multiple attempts to extend the gear were unsuccessful, the crew declared an emergency and performed an emergency gear up landing.
After the airplane came to a complete stop, the flight crew performed the evacuation checklist in the Quick Reference Handbook, and a jumpseat occupant onboard the airplane attempted to open the left (L1) door. The door rotated halfway open but would not open fully, and the slide did not deploy.
Response History
March 11, 2026 · NTSB Correspondence · FAA
On June 18, 2025, Acting FAA Administrator Christopher J. Rocheleau informed us that Safety Recommendations A-25-3 through -6 had been assigned to the FAA's Aircraft Certification Service to determine the best course of action. These recommendations are currently classified Open-Initial Response Received. We look forward to receiving more detailed information about the FAA's plans for addressing these recommendations in its next update, which Acting Administrator Rocheleau reported would be provided by the end of July 2026. The Board will classify the response at that time.
June 18, 2025 · Recipient Response · FAA
-From Christopher J. Rocheleau, Acting Administrator: The FAA assigned these safety recommendations to our Aircraft Certification Service (AIR), which will evaluate the NTSB report and determine the best course of action in addressing the safety recommendations.
I anticipate providing an update to these safety recommendations by July 31, 2026.
April 3, 2025 · NTSB Correspondence · FAA
This letter provides information about the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) March 27, 2025, report Address Noncompliant Evacuation Slide Components on Boeing Airplanes (NTSB/AIR-25-02). The details of this ongoing accident investigation and the resulting safety recommendations may be found in the attached report, which can also be accessed at http://www.ntsb.gov.
As a result of the NTSB’s preliminary findings in this investigation, we identified the following safety issues:
• Unairworthy bannis latches that don’t comply with Airworthiness Directives 86-09-09 and 2001-15-01 may be installed on other in-service Boeing 757-200, -200CB, and -300 series airplanes, which could lead to delayed evacuation during an emergency should the slide become jammed.
• Because the same bannis latch design used on certain Boeing 757 airplanes (757-200, -200CB, and -300 series) is also used on Boeing 727 and 737 airplanes, these airplane models could also have bannis latches installed that are not the correct configuration.
• Ensuring operators’ maintenance documentation contains consistent, accurate depictions of the correct configuration of the bannis latch assembly would help prevent the use of noncompliant components that could lead to delayed evacuation during an emergency should the slide become jammed.
Accordingly, the NTSB makes the following safety recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration:
• Require all Boeing 757 operators to inspect the bannis latches on Boeing 757-200, -200CB, and -300 series airplane doors and, if necessary, modify or replace them so they comply with the correct configuration. (A-25-3)
• Require all operators of Boeing 727 and 737 airplane models that use the same bannis latch design as Boeing 757 airplanes (757-200, -200CB, and -300 series) to inspect and, if necessary, modify or replace the bannis latches as advised in the Boeing service bulletin recommended in Safety Recommendation A-25-8. (A-25-4)
• Require all Boeing 757 operators to update their Boeing 757 200, 200CB, and -300 series airplane aircraft maintenance manuals (AMM) in accordance with the revised Boeing AMM and illustrated parts catalogs. (A-25-5)