Federal authorities are advising that airlinecompanies check the door plugs on more Boeing 737s after one of the panel blew off a Boeing jet in midflight
ByThe Associated Press
January 22, 2024, 11: 13 AM
FILE – This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and launched by the National Transportation Safety Board, reveals a area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missingouton panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX in Portland, Ore. Federal authorities are advising that airlinecompanies examine the door plugs on more Boeing 737s after one of the panel blew off a Boeing jet in midflight. The Federal Aviation Administration states airlinecompanies needto likewise examine the panels on an older design, the 737-900ER. Those aircrafts have door plugs that are similar in style to the one that flew off the Alaska Airlines jetliner. Boeing stated Monday, Jan. 22, 2024that it supports the FAA action. (NTSB through AP, file)
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration suggests that airlinecompanies check the door plugs on particular Boeing 737s that are older than the Max 9 jetliner that suffered a blowout of a comparable panel throughout a flight this month.
The FAA stated door plugs on one older variation of the 737, called the 737-900ER, are similar in style to those on the Max 9, and some airlinecompanies “have keptinmind findings with bolts throughout the upkeep assessments.”
The FAA provided a security alert late Sunday. As quickly as possible, airlinecompanies needto aesthetically check 4 locations where a bolt, nut and pin safeandsecure the door plug to the aircraft, the company stated.
The door plugs are panels that seal holes left for additional doors when the number of seats is not enough to trigger a requirement for more emergency-evacuation exits. From inside the airplane, they appearance like a routine window.
The FAA stated that 737-900ERs have logged 3.9 million flights without any understood problems including the door plugs. By contrast, the Max 9 that suffered the blowout had made just 145 flights.
One of the 2 door plugs on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 flew off the aircraft in