Authority determined that 171 planes of the model will have to undergo mandatory inspection after incident with Alaska Airlines plane
The North American agency FAA (Federal Aviation Administration, its acronym in English) determined this Saturday (Jan. 6, 2024) the temporary suspension of airplane flights Boeing 737 Max 9. The decision applies to the 171 model jets operated by American airlines or foreign companies within United States territory until an inspection is carried out.
The determination, published on the agency's website (complete in English – 167 kB) occurs 1 day after a new incident with the model. A Boeing 737 Max 9 from the company Alaska Airlines had to make an emergency landing after a door ejected, causing decompression in mid-flight.
There are no Boeing 737 Max 9 models in operation by Brazilian airlines. However, there are foreign companies that fly to Brazil using the jet, as is the case with the Panamanian company Copa Airlinesfor example, which uses the plane for routes from São Paulo and Rio to Panama and the Caribbean.
“The FAA is requiring immediate inspections of certain Boeing 737 Max 9 airplanes before they can return to flight.”said FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. “Safety will continue to guide our decision-making as we assist with the NTSB investigation into Alaska Airlines Flight 1282.”.
Video circulating on social media shows the interior of the plane and a hole on the left side. In the images, you can see what appears to be an emergency exit coming loose. According to Alaska Airlines, the flight returned safely to Portland. On board were 171 passengers and 6 crew.
Watch the video that shows the plane without part of the fuselage (1min14s):
Alaska Airlines had already decided to suspend the operation of all 65 Boeing 737 Max 9 planes for inspections.
Now this has become a rule for all companies. The FAA's Emergency Airworthiness Directive estimates that inspections will take about 4 to 8 hours per plane.
Boeing also issued a statement saying it prioritizes safety and regrets the impact of the incident on customers and its passengers.
“We agree and fully support the FAA’s decision to require immediate inspections of 737 Max 9 airplanes with the same configuration as the affected airplane. Additionally, 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.”
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