
Loose Wing Screw on Air China Boeing 737 Flight
Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©
In July 2022, Air China found itself in the spotlight after a passenger on flight CA1921 from Beijing to Hengyang noticed and recorded a loose wing screw on the Boeing 737NG aircraft. The video, which was shared widely on Chinese social media platform Weibo, prompted the airline to take swift action and issue a statement addressing the incident.
According to the statement, Air China "attached great importance" to the loose screw in the inboard canoe fairing of the left flap and immediately inspected the relevant parts of the aircraft, repaired the loose screws, and checked the entire fleet for similar issues.
The inboard canoe fairing, where the loose screw was located, is primarily used to regulate airflow, reduce drag, and save fuel. The screws in question are responsible for fixing the flap track fairing tail cones, which are a part of the inboard canoe fairing.
While there was no official explanation for the cause of the loose screw or its potential impact on flight safety, aviation experts weighed in on the matter. Qiu Qing, an aviation blogger with over 300,000 followers on Weibo, suggested that the issue could be attributed to either a broken supporting target in the fairing or long-term vibration at the screw's position.
According to the configuration deviation list (CDL) of the Boeing 737NG, it is acceptable for the aircraft to take off without up to two flap track fairing tail cones. Veteran pilot Chen Jianguo told the Beijing Youth Daily that one or two loose screws on the fairing would not affect safety, even if the fairing itself were missing.
In July 2022, Air China found itself in the spotlight after a passenger on flight CA1921 from Beijing to Hengyang noticed and recorded a loose wing screw on the Boeing 737NG aircraft. The video, which was shared widely on Chinese social media platform Weibo, prompted the airline to take swift action and issue a statement addressing the incident.
According to the statement, Air China "attached great importance" to the loose screw in the inboard canoe fairing of the left flap and immediately inspected the relevant parts of the aircraft, repaired the loose screws, and checked the entire fleet for similar issues.
The inboard canoe fairing, where the loose screw was located, is primarily used to regulate airflow, reduce drag, and save fuel. The screws in question are responsible for fixing the flap track fairing tail cones, which are a part of the inboard canoe fairing.
While there was no official explanation for the cause of the loose screw or its potential impact on flight safety, aviation experts weighed in on the matter. Qiu Qing, an aviation blogger with over 300,000 followers on Weibo, suggested that the issue could be attributed to either a broken supporting target in the fairing or long-term vibration at the screw's position.
According to the configuration deviation list (CDL) of the Boeing 737NG, it is acceptable for the aircraft to take off without up to two flap track fairing tail cones. Veteran pilot Chen Jianguo told the Beijing Youth Daily that one or two loose screws on the fairing would not affect safety, even if the fairing itself were missing.
Loose Wing Screw on Air China Boeing 737 Flight

Tsamouris, the Fastener Specialists©
In July 2022, Air China found itself in the spotlight after a passenger on flight CA1921 from Beijing to Hengyang noticed and recorded a loose wing screw on the Boeing 737NG aircraft. The video, which was shared widely on Chinese social media platform Weibo, prompted the airline to take swift action and issue a statement addressing the incident.
According to the statement, Air China "attached great importance" to the loose screw in the inboard canoe fairing of the left flap and immediately inspected the relevant parts of the aircraft, repaired the loose screws, and checked the entire fleet for similar issues.
The inboard canoe fairing, where the loose screw was located, is primarily used to regulate airflow, reduce drag, and save fuel. The screws in question are responsible for fixing the flap track fairing tail cones, which are a part of the inboard canoe fairing.
While there was no official explanation for the cause of the loose screw or its potential impact on flight safety, aviation experts weighed in on the matter. Qiu Qing, an aviation blogger with over 300,000 followers on Weibo, suggested that the issue could be attributed to either a broken supporting target in the fairing or long-term vibration at the screw's position.
According to the configuration deviation list (CDL) of the Boeing 737NG, it is acceptable for the aircraft to take off without up to two flap track fairing tail cones. Veteran pilot Chen Jianguo told the Beijing Youth Daily that one or two loose screws on the fairing would not affect safety, even if the fairing itself were missing.
In July 2022, Air China found itself in the spotlight after a passenger on flight CA1921 from Beijing to Hengyang noticed and recorded a loose wing screw on the Boeing 737NG aircraft. The video, which was shared widely on Chinese social media platform Weibo, prompted the airline to take swift action and issue a statement addressing the incident.
According to the statement, Air China "attached great importance" to the loose screw in the inboard canoe fairing of the left flap and immediately inspected the relevant parts of the aircraft, repaired the loose screws, and checked the entire fleet for similar issues.
The inboard canoe fairing, where the loose screw was located, is primarily used to regulate airflow, reduce drag, and save fuel. The screws in question are responsible for fixing the flap track fairing tail cones, which are a part of the inboard canoe fairing.
While there was no official explanation for the cause of the loose screw or its potential impact on flight safety, aviation experts weighed in on the matter. Qiu Qing, an aviation blogger with over 300,000 followers on Weibo, suggested that the issue could be attributed to either a broken supporting target in the fairing or long-term vibration at the screw's position.
According to the configuration deviation list (CDL) of the Boeing 737NG, it is acceptable for the aircraft to take off without up to two flap track fairing tail cones. Veteran pilot Chen Jianguo told the Beijing Youth Daily that one or two loose screws on the fairing would not affect safety, even if the fairing itself were missing.
Latest News