The aviation industry was shaken on Friday when an Alaska Airlines jet lost a plug in its fuselage during a flight. Investigators are now asking for the public’s help in finding the missing piece, which is believed to have fallen off somewhere in the Cedar Hills neighborhood just west of Portland.
The missing part is a plug used to seal an unused space for an extra emergency exit. Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), made a plea during a media briefing for anyone who finds the piece to contact local law enforcement or email the NTSB.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX 9, the aircraft involved in the incident. Photos circulating on social media show a clean hole where the door plug had been, suggesting that it simply blew away. However, investigators will closely examine the structure of the fuselage to determine the cause of the incident.
In the days leading up to the flight, there were reports of intermittent warning lights indicating pressure loss issues on the aircraft. Although Alaska Airlines stated that these issues had been addressed and resolved, it raises questions about the maintenance and safety procedures of the airline.
The NTSB is currently in the preliminary stages of its investigation and is focusing on the individual plane involved in the incident rather than the entire fleet of 737 MAX 9 aircraft. Homendy commended the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for taking immediate action to temporarily ground the specific aircraft for inspection.
Following the incident, the FAA issued an Emergency Airworthiness Directive ordering the grounding of some 737 MAX 9 aircraft pending inspection. Approximately 171 aircraft are affected by the directive, which requires inspections that could take four to eight hours per aircraft. Alaska Airlines initially announced that it would ground its fleet of 65 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft but continued operating flights with a few of the jets. However, they later reversed course and grounded the subfleet following the FAA’s order.
United Airlines, the other major U.S. carrier with the 737 MAX 9 in service, also grounded its fleet of 79 aircraft of the same type. Both airlines are working with the FAA to clarify the inspection process and the requirements for returning the aircraft to service.
The grounding of these aircraft has resulted in numerous flight cancellations. By Sunday morning, United had canceled 231 flights, while Alaska had canceled 163. It is unclear how many of these cancellations were directly caused by the MAX 9 grounding or by other factors such as a winter storm in the Northeast. However, it is evident that the impact of the incident is significant.
Fortunately, no one was seriously injured during the incident. Homendy expressed sympathy for those who experienced the terrifying ordeal and acknowledged that psychological injuries can occur in such situations.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing, and it is crucial for the public to assist in finding the missing piece of the aircraft. The cooperation of the community and the sharing of any relevant information or evidence will be vital in determining the cause of the incident and ensuring the safety of future flights.
In conclusion, the incident involving the Alaska Airlines jet losing a plug in its fuselage has raised concerns about the safety of the Boeing 737 MAX 9. The NTSB is currently investigating the incident, focusing on the individual plane involved. Both Alaska Airlines and United Airlines have grounded their fleets of 737 MAX 9 aircraft pending inspections. The cooperation of the public in finding the missing piece of the aircraft is essential to the investigation.