U.S. says foreign airlines may have Boeing 737s with suspect rudder parts

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board on Monday said more than 40 foreign operators of Boeing (NYSE:BA) 737 planes may have rudder components that could be a safety risk.

The warning came after the NTSB last week issued urgent safety recommendations about the possibility of jammed rudder control systems on some 737 airplanes. A February incident on a United Airlines (UAL) flight highlighted the risk.

Without identifying which foreign operators of 737s may be affected, the NTSB said 271 affected parts may be installed on aircraft in service, while 16 parts may still be installed on U.S.-registered aircraft and as many as 75 parts may have been used in aftermarket installation.