A federal safety board is set to examine the Federal Aviation Administration's supervision of Boeing in light of a recent incident involving a door plug on a Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting a two-day hearing to investigate a door plug blowout that occurred during an Alaska Airlines flight in January.
Door plugs are utilized on certain 737s to seal an unnecessary exit cutout on the aircraft. In the case of the Alaska Airlines jet, the plug was opened at a Boeing factory for repair purposes, but the securing bolts were not replaced when the plug was closed, leading to the blowout incident.
Boeing has responded by announcing a redesign of door plugs to prevent closure until properly secured. The company's senior vice president of quality stated that the fix is expected to be completed within a year, with plans to retrofit existing 737s in service.
During the hearing, safety board members will question Boeing and key supplier Spirit AeroSystems on their safety protocols. Additionally, FAA officials will be asked about changes in their oversight of Boeing, following comments by FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker acknowledging the agency's previous 'hands-off' approach.
The Alaska Airlines flight 1282 incident occurred shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon, resulting in a hole in the aircraft, deployment of oxygen masks, and the cockpit door opening. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, and the pilots successfully returned to Portland for a safe landing.
