On a scheduled flight from Portland to Ontario, California, a Boeing 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines encountered a serious midflight emergency when a piece of the fuselage unexpectedly detached at 16,000 feet. This occurred just hours before a scheduled maintenance check intended to address previously noted issues with the aircraft’s pressurization system.
Scheduled Maintenance and Warning Signs
The aircraft displayed warning signals related to its pressurization system on the days leading up to the incident and a month prior. Despite these warnings, the decision was made to proceed with the flight, with restrictions placed on over-water travel until a comprehensive check could be performed.
Investigations Underway
The incident has triggered multiple investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and even led to a criminal investigation by the U.S. Justice Department, focusing on Boeing’s quality control and the scheduled maintenance by Alaska Airlines.
Alaska Airlines has affirmed that its aircraft maintenance plan and schedule adhere strictly to all established processes and procedures, ensuring no immediate need to pull any aircraft from service for maintenance issues that don’t require it.
This comes after concerns were raised over pressurization warning lights and a stiff passenger door handle, slated for a routine safety check. The airline’s spokesperson clarified to The Seattle Times that such maintenance work, while necessary, did not indicate a critical safety concern that would necessitate grounding the aircraft.
In a detailed explanation to The New York Times, Donald Wright, Vice President for Maintenance and Engineering, revealed that the warning signals in question had activated twice in the past ten days, prompting a review but not reaching the threshold for more drastic measures unless triggered three times within a similar period.
Max Tidwell, Vice President for Safety and Security, also expressed confidence in the decision-making process, stating that after reviewing all data and leading indicators, there was no compelling reason to alter the current maintenance approach, underscoring the airline’s commitment to safety without overreacting to standard maintenance flags.
In response to the incident, Alaska Airlines has emphasized confidence in their maintenance and safety protocols, while cooperating fully with the ongoing NTSB investigation. The incident has spotlighted the importance of stringent maintenance schedules and raised questions regarding the oversight and safety of Boeing’s 737 MAX series.
