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FAA orders pump checks on 334 U.S. Boeing 777s after wheel-well fire

A new FAA airworthiness directive covering all U.S.-registered Boeing 777-200/-200LR/-300/-300ER and 777F jets requires a records check or inspection for a landing-gear hydraulic pump that can overheat and ignite a fire in the main landing-gear wheel well. The rule, effective Nov. 2, 2026, also bars installing the affected pump part number going forward; operators have up to 60 months to replace any already installed.

By US Brief desk · Updated 2026-09-28T04:22:00-07:00

Delta Air Lines Boeing 777-200ER on final approach with landing gear extended

Editor’s note: All technical details, fleet counts, costs, effective date, and compliance times follow the FAA final rule AD 2026-19-04 published on federalregister.gov (FR Doc. 2026-19751; filed Sep 25, 2026; Federal Register publication date Sep 28, 2026). The AD does not ground the fleet. Part-number and bulletin citations are from the rule text. This digest is separate from US Brief's earlier 737 MAX navigation-software coverage (us-boeing-737-max-nav-glitch).

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a final airworthiness directive requiring U.S. operators of Boeing 777 freighters and passenger variants to check — and in many cases replace — a landing-gear hydraulic pump after an in-service fire in a main landing-gear wheel well. AD 2026-19-04 applies to all U.S.-registered Model 777-200, -200LR, -300, -300ER, and 777F airplanes, a fleet the FAA pegs at 334 aircraft.

What happened: Investigators traced the fire to an overheated alternating-current motor pump (ACMP) that helps move the main landing gear. The FAA said a lock washer and nut were missing from a moving contact in the related electrical load control unit, leaving the pump on continuous two-phase power instead of cutting off as designed. That overheating can leak hydraulic fluid and ignite a fire in the wheel well — an area without the dedicated fire-detection and suppression hardware used in engines or cargo holds — with possible damage to the airplane, loss of continued safe flight and landing, or injury.

What the order requires: Operators must do a records check or physical inspection for ACMP part number 731966 (required for 290 of the 334 airplanes) and replace any affected pump with an approved part — 3033115-100, or alternates 66133-06 or 66068-08 — following Boeing Alert Requirements Bulletin 777-29A0047 RB (Sep 11, 2025). As of the AD's effective date, Nov. 2, 2026, no one may install P/N 731966 on an airplane covered by the rule. Already-installed affected pumps must be replaced within 60 months after that effective date. The FAA estimates about $170 per airplane for the inspection/records review ($49,300 across the affected U.S. fleet) and up to about $77,099 per airplane if a pump must be replaced, with some costs possibly covered by warranty.

Why it matters: The 777 remains a workhorse long-haul jet for U.S. passenger and cargo carriers. The directive is a fleet-wide safety fix, not a grounding: airplanes can keep flying while the work is scheduled into regular maintenance through November 2031. Separately, commenters noted the same pump part number appears on other Boeing models; the FAA said it would not delay the 777 rule and may issue additional rulemaking for other types after Boeing released related service bulletins in March 2026.

What's next: Watch Nov. 2, 2026, when the parts-installation ban takes effect; airline and freighter operators' progress against the 60-month replacement clock; and whether the FAA follows with parallel directives for other Boeing models that use the same pump.

Method note: US Brief digests are AI-assisted from the US Brief desk. We synthesize reputable reporting with cited sources; we do not invent quotes, figures, or forecasts.

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FAA orders pump checks on 334 U.S. Boeing 777s after wheel-well fire

A new FAA airworthiness directive covering all U.S.-registered Boeing 777-200/-200LR/-300/-300ER and 777F jets requires a records check or inspection for a landing-gear hydraulic pump that can overheat and ignite a fire in the main landing-gear wheel well. The rule, effective Nov. 2, 2026, also bars installing the affected pump part number going forward; operators have up to 60 months to replace any already installed.

By US Brief desk · Updated 2026-09-28T04:22:00-07:00

AI-assisted digests from the US Brief desk. Synthesizes reputable reporting with cited sources; not a wire service. Corrections welcomed.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 777-200ER on final approach with landing gear extended

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a final airworthiness directive requiring U.S. operators of Boeing 777 freighters and passenger variants to check — and in many cases replace — a landing-gear hydraulic pump after an in-service fire in a main landing-gear wheel well. AD 2026-19-04 applies to all U.S.-registered Model 777-200, -200LR, -300, -300ER, and 777F airplanes, a fleet the FAA pegs at 334 aircraft.

What happened: Investigators traced the fire to an overheated alternating-current motor pump (ACMP) that helps move the main landing gear. The FAA said a lock washer and nut were missing from a moving contact in the related electrical load control unit, leaving the pump on continuous two-phase power instead of cutting off as designed. That overheating can leak hydraulic fluid and ignite a fire in the wheel well — an area without the dedicated fire-detection and suppression hardware used in engines or cargo holds — with possible damage to the airplane, loss of continued safe flight and landing, or injury.

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