US regulators have ordered all Boeing 737 Max 9 planes to be grounded indefinitely after a cabin panel blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight forcing pilots into an emergency landing.
After all, 174 passengers and six crew members had safely made it off board, it was found that the unused door had not been bolted correctly.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the accident, has already said it does not suspect a design flaw.
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The plane door has been used on older Boeing 737s since 2006 and has not been found to have suffered any design issue leading experts to believe it that the door was bolted incorrectly.
Loose screws have also been found on other planes of the same type, reports Alaska Airlines. A United Airlines spokesperson – its Boeing 737 Max 9‘s also grounded – also said some of its planes needed additional tightening whilst inspecting its own aircraft.
Alaska Air and United Airlines are the only US carriers using the Max 9. Alaska Air canceled 160 flights on Saturday, or 20% of scheduled trips, while United canceled 104 flights or 4% of departures.
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Federal Aviation Administration administrator Mike Whitaker said: “The FAA is requiring immediate inspections of certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes before they can return to flight. Safety will continue to drive our decision-making as we assist the NTSB’s [National Transportation Safety Board] investigation into Alaska Airlines Flight 1282.”
Boeing have a recent history of plane malfunctions which have led to accidents, two incidents in late 2018 and early 2019 (in which 346 people were killed) involving the 737 Max aircraft badly tarnished its reputation.
Boeing chief executive Dave Calhoun said: “When serious accidents like this occur, it is critical for us to work transparently with our customers and regulators to understand and address the causes of the event, and to ensure they don’t happen again.”
