The recent midflight blowout of an Alaska Airlines aircraft has raised concerns about the safety of certain Boeing 737 Max 9 planes. Federal officials have announced that the lost piece of the plane’s fuselage has been found, which is a crucial detail in the ongoing investigation into the incident.
The blowout resulted in a rapid decompression of the aircraft, leaving a gaping hole in the side of the plane as it flew at 16,000 feet shortly after taking off from Portland, Oregon. The harrowing ordeal, which included headrests ripped off seats and items being sucked from the cabin, has led to the grounding of certain Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft nationwide, impacting flights and causing cancellations.
United Airlines has confirmed that it found loose door plug bolts on an undisclosed number of its 737 Max 9 aircraft. The airline is now performing FAA-mandated inspections following the incident. A Portland schoolteacher found the refrigerator-sized Boeing 737 Max 9 fuselage door plug in his yard, which has been retrieved by National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials for examination.
The blowout was described as a violent, explosive event by the flight crew, and extensive damage was caused to non-critical components of the aircraft’s interior. However, it was confirmed that there was no structural damage to the airplane.
The NTSB is facing challenges in its investigation, particularly with the loss of critical cockpit audio recordings due to a device setting. Additionally, multiple warnings about the plane’s pressurization have raised questions about the safety of similar Boeing aircraft.
Now, the focus is on determining what happened, how it happened, and preventing a similar incident from occurring again. The NTSB is also actively seeking to understand the connection between previous warnings and the midflight blowout.
Boeing has agreed with the FAA’s decision to ground affected aircraft for inspections, and the supplier responsible for the fuselage of Boeing’s 737 Max jets, Spirit AeroSystems, is working with the aircraft manufacturer to address the issue.
The investigation is ongoing, and the NTSB is determined to examine the detached door plug and uncover the cause of the incident. The agency is also working to address the limitations of cockpit voice recordings in older aircraft, emphasizing the importance of longer recordings for improving aviation safety.
While unanswered questions remain, it is clear that comprehensive investigations and safety measures are being taken to ensure the airworthiness of affected Boeing aircraft.