7-1-2024 (WASHINGTON) In response to a cabin panel blowout that led to an emergency landing, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has temporarily grounded specific Boeing 737 MAX 9 jetliners for safety inspections. The incident involved an Alaska Airlines flight departing from Portland, Oregon, en route to Ontario, California, where a piece of fuselage tore off, compelling the plane to return and land safely with 171 passengers and six crew members on board.
While this move falls short of the global grounding witnessed five years ago due to two fatal crashes, it adds to Boeing’s challenges amid recovery efforts from safety issues and pandemic-related setbacks.
The FAA directive requires immediate inspections of Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes fitted with a special door replacement “plug” before they can resume flights. Mike Whitaker, the FAA chief, stated that the decision allows for thorough inspections and necessary repairs.
A National Transportation Safety Board investigation is underway to determine the cause of the apparent structural failure. The incident left a rectangular hole in a fuselage area designated for an optional extra door, which is deactivated on Alaska’s aircraft.
Social media posts depicted oxygen masks deployed and a missing portion of the aircraft’s side wall. The FAA inspection directive covers 171 MAX 9 aeroplanes, with Alaska Airlines and United Airlines being the only US carriers operating this model. Both airlines voluntarily grounded their fleets for checks, resulting in numerous flight cancellations.
Boeing, currently awaiting certification for the MAX 7 and MAX 10 models, expressed support for the FAA’s decision. The MAX planes were previously grounded globally for 20 months after crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia linked to cockpit software issues.
