During inspections of 737 Max 9 aircraft, the US airline United Airlines found loose screws on the fuselage component that broke off during an Alaska Airlines flight a few days ago. In the model variant, the so-called plugs close a door opening that is not required.
A United spokeswoman did not provide information Monday about how many machines had problems with this component. The airline has a total of 79 aircraft of this type. According to information from the website The Air Current The loose screws and other problems with the component were found in at least five United aircraft.
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The chairwoman of the National Safety Transportation Board (NSTF) announced, according to a report by the New York Times indicates that such a door plug is installed on aircraft that are configured for fewer than the maximum permitted number of seats and which therefore do not require all of the exits originally planned for the aircraft. We are now trying to clarify why this part came loose in further investigations. The cabin part was meanwhile found in a garden in the city of Portland, Oregon.
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During Friday’s incident, there was a loss of pressure in the cabin, objects were sucked outside, and no one was seriously injured. The pilot was able to land the plane safely. The 171 passengers largely escaped in horror. According to experts, this is also due to fortunate circumstances: no one was sitting directly next to the part that broke out and all passengers were still wearing their seatbelts during this phase of the flight.
After the incident, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned aircraft of this type from taking off and ordered inspections. According to the aviation safety authority EASA, no aircraft in the European Union are affected by the shutdowns and inspections.
During inspections of 737 Max 9 aircraft, the US airline United Airlines found loose screws on the fuselage component that broke off during an Alaska Airlines flight a few days ago. In the model variant, the so-called plugs close a door opening that is not required.
A United spokeswoman did not provide information Monday about how many machines had problems with this component. The airline has a total of 79 aircraft of this type. According to information from the website The Air Current The loose screws and other problems with the component were found in at least five United aircraft.