March 13, 2026 — Seattle Boeing is Boeing repairing 25 737 MAX jets with wiring damage[2]** on up to 25 undelivered aircraft due to small scratches from a machining error, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The flaws do not pose an immediate safety risk but have paused some deliveries, potentially impacting first-quarter targets.
Boeing notified the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating and stated it “investigating and cannot comment on active investigations.” A Boeing spokesperson confirmed some March deliveries will be delayed, though April impacts remain unclear.
Issue Details
The Boeing repairing 25 737 MAX jets with wiring damage stems from small scratches on wiring bundles caused by a machining error at Boeing’s Renton, Washington facility, according to Aviation Week and FlightGlobal. Boeing’s 737 program VP Katie Ringgold said at the ISTAT Americas conference on March 10,
“We paused ticketing and deliveries as we work through this issue… There is going to be disruption [for] the next few days. It will take several days to resolve, not weeks.”
Boeing stated the affected wiring has “small scratches due to a machining error.”
Delivery and Production Impact
Boeing repairing 25 737 MAX jets with wiring damage has led to near-term delays, with Boeing expecting some first-quarter effects but no change to its full-year target of at least 500 737 deliveries. Production continues at about 42 aircraft per month across three lines in Renton. February saw 43 737 MAX deliveries out of 51 total aircraft, per Seattle Times.
Boeing CFO Jay Malave is set to discuss the issue at the Bank of America Global Industrials Conference on March 17.
Safety Assessment
An engineering analysis found the scratches “do not present an immediate safety of flight issue,” Boeing said. “All in-service 737 MAX airplanes can continue to safely operate.” If needed, updates will come via service bulletins.
The issue aligns with ongoing FAA scrutiny of Boeing’s manufacturing quality. Social media discussions, including posts from @AeronewsGlobal and @avtalk_asia, echoed Boeing repairing 25 737 MAX jets with wiring damage reports.
