A month after the Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 lost its door mid-flight, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its preliminary investigation report on Tuesday, February 6.
Absence of wear or deformation around specific holes, according to the NTSB “Indicates that the four bolts preventing the cap holder from moving upwards were missing before it was moved”.. The agency collected written documents and photos showing Boeing employees removed four bolts at these locations during an inspection at the Renton, Washington, plant before the plane’s delivery in October.
An operation was carried out to replace five damaged rivets in the cabin of the aircraft. Other photos taken after replacing the rivets show that, in at least three points, the bolts were not reinstalled. This door was used to block the exit and was not intended to be opened, this model has an adequate emergency exit in this configuration.
On January 5, she flew from Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California on Alaska Airlines MAX 9. Only a few minor injuries were sustained in the incident. Before the NTSB report was released, Alaska Airlines had already reported“Poorly Connected Equipment” After initial investigation.
United Airlines, owner of the largest fleet of 737 MAX 9s (79 aircraft), said it found during the investigation, “Bolts that need to be tightened”.
In recent months, Boeing has experienced another episode of failure and had to slow down deliveries due to problems with the fuselage, particularly the aircraft’s rear bulkhead.
Boeing under FAA supervision
On Tuesday, during a hearing in Congress, the head of the American Civil Aviation Regulatory Agency (Federal Aviation Administration, FAA), Mike Whitaker, who took office in October, considered it necessary to strengthen the oversight of Boeing after the 737 MAX 9 incident. “There were problems (with Boeing) In the past and it seems that they are not resolved »The new FAA administrator said during a hearing before the House of Representatives Subcommittee on Aviation. “So we think we need to increase the level of surveillance to deal with this”He continued.
The FAA sent nearly twenty inspectors to Boeing, who are currently working hard to verify the assembly status of the group’s aircraft. The regulator also sent about ten of its controllers to Spirit Aerosystems, the aircraft manufacturer’s main subcontractor.
This approach, Mr. Whittaker said, breaks with the methods traditionally used by the agency, which have essentially been based on studying documents that Boeing has released. The FAA has commissioned a six-week audit from a specialized firm, which is currently underway, the findings of which will be used to define a new sustainability monitoring system. “We haven’t made a decision yet, but I hope we will have people on site”The head of the FAA announced.
