Source: AFP
The US Federal Aviation Administration has recommended that airlines inspect door plugs on Boeing 737-900ER aircraft after an explosion on another type of aircraft with a similar outlet in the middle of the cabin earlier this month.
The move comes as regulators step up scrutiny of Boeing following a scare on an Alaska Airlines plane this month when a panel came off mid-flight and forced an emergency landing.
Although there were no deaths or serious injuries in the January 5 incident, US regulators grounded 171 jets from the 737 MAX 9 fleet with the same configuration as the plane involved in the case.
The aviation regulator said in a statement late Sunday that carriers “are urged to conduct a visual inspection to ensure that the door plug is restrained from any movements” when it comes to the 737-900ER as well.
Boeing’s 737-900ER model is an older generation than the MAX family, but according to the FAA it has an “identical door plug design.”
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“As part of their Safety Management Systems, some operators have performed additional inspections on the 737-900ER mid-exit door plugs and noted bolt findings during maintenance inspections,” the FAA said.
The latest recommendation is for “an added layer of safety,” the FAA added.
In its own statement, Boeing said: “We fully support the FAA and our customers in this action.”
Last week, Boeing appointed an independent consultant to lead a “comprehensive quality review” of its system.
The affected door plug panel on the Alaska Airlines flight is used to fill an unnecessary emergency exit on airplanes.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators suggested the component was not properly installed.
The FAA said it will return the 737-9 MAX to service once safety is established.
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![](https://images.yen.com.gh/images/aa76c2cde64e1373.jpg?impolicy=cropped-image&imwidth=256)
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Delta and Alaska Airlines did not immediately respond when contacted by AFP on Monday.
United Airlines said: “We began preventive inspections on our Boeing 737-900ER aircraft last week and expect them to be completed in the coming days without any problems for our customers.”
The latest 737 MAX 9 incident was the first major in-flight safety issue on a Boeing jet since two fatal 737 MAX crashes — one in 2018 and one in 2019 — grounded the plane for nearly two years.
The FAA has since said its investigation will expand into Boeing’s manufacturing practices and production lines.
As of Monday afternoon, Boeing shares were down 0.8 percent, while United Airlines was down 0.6 percent.
Source: AFP