Boeing 737 MAX Software Glitch Triggers FAA Review
Boeing 737 MAX software glitch prompted an FAA Corrective Action Review Board and links to MAX 10 testing raise certification timing risk for investors.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- FAA convened a Corrective Action Review Board to assess the 737 MAX software glitch.
- The affected flight-management software reportedly was used during 737 MAX 10 certification testing.
- Boeing reinforced pilot procedures and projected updated guidance in November 2026 and a permanent fix in early 2028.
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Boeing disclosed on September 26, 2026, a software glitch in the 737 MAX that interrupted automated vertical guidance during certain landing sequences. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded by convening a Corrective Action Review Board (CARB), raising potential certification risks for the 737 MAX 10.
FAA Review and Certification Risk
Boeing submitted formal safety-review findings to the FAA in September 2026 after conducting a review prompted by additional operator reports. The FAA said it will take immediate action if the review identifies a safety concern.
The affected flight-management software was reportedly used during certification flight testing for the 737 MAX 10, the final MAX variant awaiting FAA approval. The recently certified MAX 7 also reportedly uses the newer software. This connection has created regulatory uncertainty around the MAX 10’s approval process. The timing of certification and remediation depends on Boeing’s engineering work and the FAA’s assessment, making program schedules conditional on the CARB outcome.
Technical Fault and Operator Measures
In August 2026, Boeing informed all 737 MAX operators that pilots might lose access to automated flight guidance during a specific landing scenario. The issue can occur after a missed approach, or go-around, when the crew alters a preprogrammed flight path. The flight-management computer may incorrectly transition from vertical navigation (VNAV) to a simpler pitch-control mode such as level change or vertical speed, causing an unintended VNAV transition. This affects automated vertical guidance during a critical phase of approach and climb.
Reports vary on whether the autopilot disengages in every case; some describe the problem as an autopilot disengagement, while technical accounts emphasize a loss of automated vertical guidance. Secondary reporting identified flight-management-computer software versions U14 and U14.1 as associated with the behavior.
Boeing said pilots are trained to land without automated VNAV and that existing procedures were reinforced for operators. Engineers are developing a permanent software update. Boeing initially told operators it expected to issue updated pilot guidance in November 2026 and deliver a permanent fix in early 2028 but is now trying to accelerate both timelines. Some U.S. carriers indicated their 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 fleets had not deployed the affected update, suggesting the software’s footprint varies across operators.
