Overview
- NTSB investigators issued new recommendations urging the FAA to work with industry on standardized, realistic simulator training for cockpit smoke emergencies and to add it to FAA oversight guidance.
- The board also asked Airlines for America and the Regional Airline Association to share findings from the Southwest case and to encourage member carriers to use lifelike smoke scenarios in training.
- Investigators pointed to a December 2023 Southwest 737 Max departure from New Orleans where a bird strike sent smoke into the cockpit, cutting instrument visibility within seconds as the crew used oxygen masks and landed safely with 139 aboard.
- The NTSB warned that a similar event at night or in poor weather could be catastrophic and noted the FAA receives near-daily cockpit smoke reports even though airlines are not required to run immersive drills.
- Recent actions remain limited, including a 2024 FAA review that required no immediate changes, a February 2024 Boeing bulletin on possible smoke effects, and an earlier NTSB call for a Boeing and CFM software fix.