https://finance.yahoo.com/news/1-u-safety-board-investigating-045113315.html
David Shepardson and Valerie Insinna and Tim Hepher
Fri, January 5, 2024 at 9:51 PM MST·
(Changes dateline, adds context in paragraphs 3-4, NTSB statement in paragraph 6)
By David Shepardson, Valerie Insinna and Tim Hepher
Jan 6 (Reuters) - Alaska Airlines has grounded dozens of Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets for safety checks after a cabin panel blowout forced a brand-new airplane loaded with passengers to make an emergency landing.
The piece of fuselage tore off the left side of the jet shortly as it climbed out of Portland, Oregon, en route for Ontario in California on Friday, forcing pilots to turn back and land safely with 171 passengers and six crew on board.
It is the latest mishap involving Boeing's best-selling model, which was grounded for almost two years following crashes in 2018 and 2019, and comes as Boeing and a major supplier are grappling with a succession of production or quality problems.
There were no immediate indications of the cause of the apparent structural failure nor any reports of injuries.
Airline CEO Ben Minicucci said in a statement its fleet of 65 similar planes would be returned to service only after precautionary maintenance and safety inspections, which he expected to be completed in the "next few days".
U.S. aviation authorities announced an investigation.
The National Transportation Safety Board said on Saturday a team of experts in structures, operations and systems would arrive on the scene later that day.
Boeing also said it was looking into the incident.
"We are working to gather more information and are in contact with our airline customer," Boeing said.
Flight 1282 had reached just over 16,000 feet when the blowout happened, according to FlightRadar24.
"We'd like to get down," the pilot told air traffic control, according to a recording posted on liveatc.net.
"We are declaring an emergency. We do need to come down to 10,000," the pilot added, referring to the initial staging altitude for such emergencies, below which breathing is considered possible for healthy people without extra oxygen.
Social media posts showed oxygen masks deployed and a portion of the aircraft's side wall missing.
Passenger photos appeared to show that a section of the fuselage sometimes used for an optional rear mid-cabin exit door had been torn away, leaving a door-shaped gap.
The extra door is typically installed by low-cost airlines using extra seats that require more paths for evacuation.
However, those doors are permanently "plugged", or deactivated, on Alaska Airlines jets.
The new MAX 9 was delivered to Alaska Airlines in late October and certified in early November, according to FAA data.
PRODUCTION SNAGS
"Whenever you have a rapid decompression such as this, it's a major safety event," said Anthony Brickhouse, an air safety expert at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
"I can't imagine what these passengers experienced. It would have been loud. The wind would be rushing through that cabin. It was a probably pretty violent situation, and definitely a scary situation."
The incident shows the importance of passengers keeping their seatbelts buckled while seated in an airplane, even if the fasten seatbelt light is off, Brickhouse said, noting that the oxygen mask system appeared to have functioned properly.
Reports said the seat next to the left-hand panel, which contains an ordinary passenger window, was unoccupied.
"This is a very, very serious situation and it could have been a lot worse," he said. "If someone had been sitting in that seat, and they weren't buckled in, it would have been a different situation."
The 737 MAX was grounded for 20 months worldwide after two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 linked to poorly designed cockpit software killed 346 people in Ethiopia and Indonesia. Boeing is awaiting certification of its smaller 737 MAX 7 and larger MAX 10.
China's aviation regulator is conducting an emergency meeting to consider a response to the incident, including a possible new grounding of the Boeing MAX fleet in the country, Bloomberg news reported on Saturday.
China was the first country to ground the MAX in 2019 and only recently started accepting new deliveries, though domestic services using the plane resumed in January last year.
Last week, Boeing said it was urging airlines to inspect all 737 MAX airplanes for a possible loose bolt in the rudder control system.
The FAA said it was closely monitoring Boeing 737 MAX inspections and would consider additional action if more loose or missing hardware was found.
The fuselage for Boeing 737 planes, its most popular model, is made by Kansas-based Spirit AeroSystems, which separated from Boeing in 2005.
In August, Boeing identified a quality problem involving Spirit that resulted in improperly drilled holes on the aft pressure bulkhead.
It was not immediately clear whether the door "plug" used to replace the door when not selected by airlines is also made by the Wichita, Kansas-based, supplier, nor whether the Alaska incident was related to factory processes or design.
Boeing and Spirit did not immediately respond to requests for comments on how that part of the jet is assembled. (Reporting by David Shepardson, Valerie Insinna and Tim Hepher; Additional reporting by Akanksha Khushi; Editing by Gerry Doyle, Jan Harvey and Diane Craft)
"Then there was a woman, a lion of a woman."
Recent ALK News
- Futures Pointing To Roughly Flat Open After Israel Retaliates Against Iran • IH Market News • 04/19/2024 01:15:30 PM
- Paramount’s Shares Surge Following Sony and Apollo’s Joint Bid; ISS Backs Berkshire Hathaway Director Re-election, and More • IH Market News • 04/19/2024 11:31:22 AM
- Nasdaq, S&P 500 Extend Losing Streaks To Five Days • IH Market News • 04/18/2024 08:40:13 PM
- U.S. Futures Rebound Amid Global Market Fluctuations, Oil Prices Decline • IH Market News • 04/18/2024 11:15:03 AM
- Apple to Invest $250 Million in Singapore Expansion, Oracle Commits $8 Billion to Japan Infrastructure, and More News • IH Market News • 04/18/2024 11:11:52 AM
- Alaska Air Group reports first quarter 2024 results • PR Newswire (US) • 04/18/2024 09:00:00 AM
- Tesla Resolves Autopilot Lawsuit, JPMorgan Unveils Potential CEO Successors, and More • IH Market News • 04/09/2024 10:39:30 AM
- Alaska Air Group announces webcast of first-quarter 2024 financial results • PR Newswire (US) • 04/08/2024 01:00:00 PM
- Apple Terminates 614 Employees, Disney Unveils June Crackdown on Password Sharing, and More Updates • IH Market News • 04/05/2024 11:38:57 AM
- Your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles go farther with Global Getaways • PR Newswire (US) • 04/03/2024 12:00:00 PM
- Alaska Airlines deepens commitment to Bay Area with new nonstop service between Santa Rosa/Sonoma County and Las Vegas • PR Newswire (US) • 03/21/2024 12:00:00 PM
- Introducing Alaska Access: A new subscription service by Alaska Airlines to save on travel planning and costs • PR Newswire (US) • 03/20/2024 12:00:00 PM
- Alaska Airlines technicians vote YES on new contract • PR Newswire (US) • 03/14/2024 05:18:00 PM
- Intel Loses Pentagon Funding, Shell Plans 20% Business Team Reduction, and Latest News • IH Market News • 03/13/2024 11:02:03 AM
- Alaska Air Group to webcast J.P. Morgan Conference • PR Newswire (US) • 03/08/2024 01:00:00 PM
- Alaska Air Group to webcast J.P. Morgan Conference • PR Newswire (US) • 03/08/2024 01:00:00 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 02/29/2024 11:43:21 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 02/27/2024 09:08:18 PM
- Alaska Airlines adds exclusively brewed beer in unique can to premium beverage line-up • PR Newswire (US) • 02/20/2024 01:00:00 PM
- Alaska Air Group to webcast Citi Conference • PR Newswire (US) • 02/16/2024 01:00:00 PM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 02/16/2024 11:29:43 AM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 02/16/2024 11:27:03 AM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 02/16/2024 11:24:31 AM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 02/16/2024 11:21:32 AM
- Form 4 - Statement of changes in beneficial ownership of securities • Edgar (US Regulatory) • 02/16/2024 11:18:33 AM
FEATURED NanoViricides Reports that the Phase I NV-387 Clinical Trial is Completed Successfully and Data Lock is Expected Soon • May 2, 2024 10:07 AM
ILUS Files Form 10-K and Provides Shareholder Update • ILUS • May 2, 2024 8:52 AM
Avant Technologies Names New CEO Following Acquisition of Healthcare Technology and Data Integration Firm • AVAI • May 2, 2024 8:00 AM
Bantec Engaged in a Letter of Intent to Acquire a Small New Jersey Based Manufacturing Company • BANT • May 1, 2024 10:00 AM
Cannabix Technologies to Deliver Breath Logix Alcohol Screening Device to Australia • BLO • Apr 30, 2024 8:53 AM
Hydromer, Inc. Reports Preliminary Unaudited Financial Results for First Quarter 2024 • HYDI • Apr 29, 2024 9:10 AM