Boeing’s Mid-Air Blowout: US Regulator Says Key Bolts Were Missing From The Door Plug (Photo by John McArthur on Unsplash)
The United States Federal Agency has released preliminary findings over the incident in which a door blew off from an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 midair. As per the findings of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the door panel on the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 that fell off midair had no bolts installed on the door plug.
The US safety regulator released the crucial report on February 6, along with photographic evidence. The US regulator said that the picture of the plane in a factory in Renton, Washington, revealed the lack of bolts. “Photo documentation obtained from Boeing shows evidence of the left-hand MED plug closed with no retention hardware (bolts) in the three visible locations,” noted NTSB in its 19-page report.
The report also said that the faulty plug was manufactured by Spirit AeroSystems Malaysia on March 24, 2023. It was received at Spirit AeroSystems Wichita on May 10, 2023, and the plug was then installed and rigged on the fuselage prior to delivery to Boeing. As per the report, the fuselage line 8789 was shipped to Boeing on August 20, 2023.
At the same time, Boeing said that they appreciate the US regulator”s work and will review their findings. “Whatever final conclusions are reached, Boeing is accountable for what happened. An event like this must not happen on an airplane that leaves our factory,” said Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun in a statement.
Boeing stated that they are taking immediate action to strengthen quality. As part of this, Boeing has implemented a control plan to ensure all 737-9 mid-exit door plugs are installed according to specifications. The company is also implementing plans to enhance overall quality and stability across the 737 production system.
On January 5, the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft bound for Ontario was forced to make an emergency landing at Portland International Airport when a cabin panel blew off in midair. Following this incident, on January 6, the Federal Aviation Administration informed that it would temporarily ground Boeing 737 Max 9 airplanes used by US airlines.
