by Donald Wood
Last updated: 1:55 PM ET, Sat January 6, 2024
Update: January 7, 2024, at 9:08 a.m. ET
Boeing issued the following statement about the FAA
grounding all 737-9 aircraft for inspections after an Alaska Airlines plane was
forced to make an emergency landing after the cabin became depressurized due to
a door panel coming loose midflight.
“Safety is our top priority and we deeply regret the impact
this event has had on our customers and their passengers. We agree with and
fully support the FAA's decision to require immediate inspections of 737-9
airplanes with the same configuration as the affected airplane.”
“In addition, a Boeing technical team is supporting the
NTSB's investigation into last night's event. We will remain in close contact
with our regulator and customers.”
Original Text
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that
specific Boeing 737-9 aircraft would be grounded around the United States after
an Alaska Airlines plane was forced to make an emergency landing after the
cabin became depressurized due to a door panel coming loose midflight.
According to the FAA’s official X account, the federal
agency issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive (EAD) that will require all
airlines in the U.S. and its territories to thoroughly inspect each of the
approximately 171 impacted aircraft before being permitted to fly again.
The required inspections are expected to take four to eight
hours per plane.
“The FAA is requiring immediate inspections of certain
Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes before they can return to flight,” FAA Administrator
Mike Whitaker said. “Safety will continue to drive our decision-making as we
assist the NTSB’s investigation into Alaska Airlines Flight 1282.”
Alaska Flight 1282 departed from Portland, Oregon, on Friday
for a journey to Ontario, California, with six crew members and 171 passengers
onboard before being forced to make an emergency landing back in Portland.
The pilots working the flight reported that the cabin became
depressurized due to a door panel that was not being used ripped off during the
trip, leaving a large hole in the side of the aircraft.
ABC aviation expert John J. Nance described the damaged area
as a “plug,” saying it is a spot in the “fuselage shaped like a door that isn’t
designed to open, even when the aircraft is on the ground. They could be
converted to doors if the airline needs an extra boarding door.”
As a result, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
launched an investigation into the incident, with Boeing officials saying the
company compiled a technical team to help with the investigation.
Alaska immediately grounded its entire fleet of 65 Boeing
737-9 aircraft, with other airlines flying the impacted planes following suit
before the FAA mandate was issued.
The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) President
Sara Nelson said the union “supports the FAA’s quick and decisive action to
ground certain 737 MAX 9 Fleet that do not meet the inspection cycles specified
in the Emergency Airworthiness Directive.”
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