The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed a new airworthiness directive that would require expanded inspections of fan blades on all CFM International CFM56-7B engines, a powerplant used widely on Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft across the U.S. fleet. The proposed rule, published in the Federal Register on July 31, 2026, would supersede a 2018 directive issued after an engine failure that year caused a fractured fan blade to disintegrate the engine inlet cowl, sending debris into the fuselage and resulting in one fatality.
Since that 2018 directive took effect, CFM issued updated service material that improves ultrasonic inspection procedures and expands the inspection area for detecting cracks. The new proposal would require initial and repetitive ultrasonic or eddy current inspections of the fan blade dovetail, with replacement required if inspectors find any crack indications.
The FAA noted a July 10, 2026 engine failure on a Malta Air flight operating a Boeing 737-800 with a CFM56-7B engine, saying it has no information linking that overseas incident to the unsafe condition addressed in this proposal but is noting it for completeness. The agency shortened the standard comment period to 30 days, closing August 31, 2026, to align implementation timing with European regulators.
The FAA estimates the rule would affect 4,553 engines on U.S.-registered aircraft, with an inspection cost of roughly $340 per engine and a cost of more than $208,000 per engine for any fan blade pair that requires replacement.
Source: Federal Register - https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/31/2026-15532/airworthiness-directives-cfm-international-sa-engines