A door panel that flew off a Boeing 737 MAX 9 airliner during a flight on Jan. 5 appeared to be missing four key bolts, according to an initial report from the U.S. National Safety Board investigating the crash.
“Investigations continue to determine what manufacturing documentation was used to allow the plug to open and close during rework of the rivet,” the report said.
The NTSB has not previously said what caused the panel to rip off the Alaska Airlines plane as it climbed to 16,000 feet after taking off from Portland, Oregon.
The incident poses a full-blown safety and reputational crisis for Boeing, which risks slowing production of its planes and ceding even more market share to rival Airbus (AIR.PA) Opens in a new tab.
Photographic evidence released Tuesday shows a missing door plug bolt that was removed to secure a rivet that was damaged during the production process, according to an independent National Transportation Safety Board report. There is.
Following the incident, the US Federal Aviation Administration grounded 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft operated by US airlines United Airlines and Alaska Airlines for inspection. These planes were allowed to resume operations in late January.
The NTSB has focused on how the panels installed on this MAX 9 model are removed from the airplane in lieu of an optional egress. The plug is secured with four bolts, a new tab opens and is secured by 12 “stop fittings” along the side of the plug and door frame.
The NTSB announced in January that all 12 stops came loose during the event.
United Airlines and Alaska Airlines both announced in the days after the explosions that they had found loose parts on multiple grounded MAX 9 planes.
The plug was manufactured by Spirit AeroSystems (SPR.N), a former Boeing subsidiary that was separated from its parent company in 2005. The production process includes work at both facilities in Wichita, Kansas, before the plane’s fuselage is transported by rail to Boeing’s Renton location. , Washington, Factory.
The FAA is taking a tougher stance on Boeing than ever before. In late January, the government banned Boeing from expanding production of the 737 MAX aircraft, citing quality issues. That means he can continue producing MAX jets at the current rate, but he can’t increase their speed.
“We certainly agree that the current system is not working because it does not provide safe aircraft,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker told lawmakers Tuesday. “So we have to make changes to that.”
The FAA is conducting an audit of 737 MAX production, examining all elements of Boeing’s production and its supplier Spirit’s production of the aircraft.
Boeing shares rose 1.5% in Tuesday trading. The stock has lost more than 20% of its value since the beginning of the year.
Reporting by David Shepherdson.Editing: David Gaffen and Nick Zieminski
