The National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary report on how a door plug blew out of a Boeing 737 Max 9 at 16,000 feet over Portland, Oregon last month. The findings are as bad as expected with the report noting that the four bolts intended to hold the plug in place vertically were missing, Reuters reports. Yes, missing! The aircraft left Boeing’s factory and was delivered to Alaska Airlines without the bolts installed.
The report detailed how Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 was a typical commercial service from preflight inspection through takeoff. The flight crew didn’t notice anything unusual until the door plug blew out with a loud band, the captain’s head being thrown forward into the heads-up display, and their ears popping. By that point, the door plug was plunging to Earth. The report would explain why the plug came loose:
“Overall, the observed damage patterns and absence of contact damage or deformation around holes associated with the vertical movement arrestor bolts and upper guide track bolts in the upper guide fittings, hinge fittings, and recovered aft lower hinge guide fitting indicate that the four bolts that prevent upward movement of the MED [mid-exit door] plug were missing before the MED plug moved upward off the stop pads.”
Investigators found there were five damaged rivets on the edge frame forward of the mid-exit door on the fuselage. The four bolts in question were removed by Spirit Aerosystems personnel to access and replace the damaged rivets. However, the Boeing contractor didn’t put the bolts back in place when the plug was reinstalled. Boeing President and CEO Dave Calhoun said in a statement:
“Whatever final conclusions are reached, Boeing is accountable for what happened. An event like this must not happen on an airplane that leaves our factory. We simply must do better for our customers and their passengers. We are implementing a comprehensive plan to strengthen quality and the confidence of our stakeholders. It will take significant, demonstrated action and transparency at every turn – and that is where we are squarely focused.”
Since the January 5 plug blowout, the reputation of Boeing and the planemaker’s 737 Max aircraft has understandably taken a massive hit. Boeing has had to shelve plans to expand production, allowing United and Southwest to reconsider the future of their fleets. Emirates announced that it will be sending its own engineers to monitor Boeing’s aircraft production. However, low-cost European airline Ryanair has offered to pick up canceled 737 Max orders, which isn’t as reassuring as it sounds.