Buenos Aires | October 2025 — Aerolíneas Argentinas has temporarily grounded eight Boeing 737-800 aircraft powered by CFM56-7B engines, following the fourth engine-related incident within a year.
Incident triggers precautionary grounding
The grounding follows an incident involving aircraft LV-FSK, operating flight AR1526 from Buenos Aires–Aeroparque (AEP) to Córdoba (COR)on October 15. Shortly after take-off, the jet experienced a left-engine failure, prompting the crew to divert and land safely at Ezeiza International Airport (EZE).
Following the event, the flag carrier withdrew eight 737-800s with the same engine model from service as a precautionary measure pending inspection. The affected aircraft are: LV-FQY, LV-FQZ, LV-FSK, LV-FUA, LV-FUB, LV-FUC, LV-FVM, and LV-FVO.
“As a result of this incident, Aerolíneas Argentinas decided to preemptively suspend the operations of eight B737-800 aircraft equipped with engines from the same manufacturer and with the same characteristics as those affected in these recent events,” the airline said in a statement.
Aerolíneas said “the focus of the measure is on the engines, and not on any other component of the aircraft,” dispelling any doubts about the safety of its Boeing 737-800 fleet.
The Fourth CFM56 Engine-Related Event in 12 Months
The October 15 incident marks the fourth engine-related event involving Aerolíneas Argentinas’ Boeing 737-800 fleet within the past year.
In October 2025 alone, two separate 737-800s (registrations LV-FSK and LV-FQY) suffered CFM56-7B engine malfunctions — one shortly after takeoff from Aeroparque, another during a rejected takeoff at Trelew. Earlier this year, in March 2025, flight AR1648 (LV-FRK) diverted to Ezeiza International Airport after one of the engines (CFM56) emitted a bang and streaks of flame following a bird strike. A fourth event, in December 2024, involved smoke in the cabin on AR1879 (LV-GFQ) operating over the Atlantic, though the cause was not fully detailed in public reports.
Engines under scrutiny
The CFM56-7B engines in question had not yet reached the 17,200-cycle inspection threshold recommended by the manufacturer. That prompted concerns about premature component wear.
Pilot union, APLA (Asociación de Pilotos de Líneas Aéreas) have stated that pilots will refuse to fly the affected aircraft until a safety plan is in place
The airline has requested a technical review by CFM before returning the aircraft to service.
Operational and industry impact
The grounding affects nearly 30 percent of Aerolíneas Argentinas’ 737-800 fleet and 10% of its total fleet, potentially leading to schedule adjustments. However, the carrier said passenger disruption would be limited.
The incident renews scrutiny of the CFM56-7B, one of the world’s most widely used narrow-body engines, and raises questions over maintenance intervals across operators. Aviation authorities in Argentina are monitoring the situation, and similar checks could follow elsewhere if a design or batch issue is confirmed.
Photo by Franco Monsalvo / Pexels
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