U.S. transportation safety inspectors are examining the shocking mid-air mishap involving a Boeing 737 Max 9. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has conducted an extensive investigation following the January 5 Alaska Airlines door panel explosion. Thousands of pages of records, featuring alarming accounts, document the turmoil that ensued after the door explosion.
The NTSB’s two-day hearing started with Boeing’s pledge to apply design modifications to avert future mishaps. The crisis Boeing experienced represented its second major one in recent times. The published records expose the extreme decompression brought on by the panel separating during the flight.
Crew members related the event with rich information. While a flight attendant noticed the unexpected “loud bang and lots of whooshing air,” the co-pilot detailed a “loud bang” and tremendous pressure. These accounts help to depict the concerning mid-flight scenario.
Boeing was under close inspection throughout the hearing concerning the aircraft’s manufacturing and the lack of documentation on the door plug repair. According to the preliminary NTSB investigation, following a Boeing plant repair, four bolts necessary for panel security were missing.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy criticized Boeing’s safety culture, emphasizing the need for improvement. Boeing’s senior vice president for quality, Elizabeth Lund, stated that design changes are underway. These prevent the door plug from closing if it’s not securely fastened.
Boeing has not yet found out who took down and rebuilt the door plug. Nevertheless, two employees thought to be implicated are now on paid administrative leave. This episode has tarnished Boeing’s image even further, resulting in the two week grounding of Max 9 aircraft.
