Boeing 737 MAX 9 continues to be grounded, Boeing admits it made mistakes
Xinhua News Agency, San Francisco, January 10
Xinhua News Agency reporter Wu Xiaoling
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said on the 10th that the Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft will continue to be grounded until the cause of the accident in which the door plug (embedded emergency door) fell off is determined. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun admitted on the 9th that the company had made mistakes. Industry insiders believe the accident heightened concerns about quality control issues at Boeing.
737 MAX 9 continues to be grounded
Jennifer Homendy, chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, said on the 10th that the Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft cannot be put back into service until the cause of the door jam detachment accident is fully understood.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on the 9th that passenger safety, not processing speed, determines the return timetable for Boeing 737 MAX 9 passenger aircraft. Boeing is currently revising the inspection instructions it previously provided based on feedback received. “Upon receipt of Boeing’s revised instructions, the FAA will conduct a thorough review.”
An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 accident occurred in mid-air on the 5th. A door jam on the side of the cabin fell off, and the plane made an emergency landing. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ordered on the 6th to temporarily ground Boeing 737 MAX 9 passenger aircraft operated by U.S. airlines or within the United States to conduct safety inspections of the aircraft. Subsequently, many regulatory agencies and airlines around the world also announced the grounding of this type of aircraft.
According to statistics, Boeing has delivered 218 737 MAX 9 passenger aircraft around the world, most of which are in service with Alaska Airlines and United Airlines. Alaska Airlines said on the 10th that it had canceled its Boeing 737 MAX 9 flight schedule until January 13, with more than 100 flights canceled every day.
Boeing admits mistakes
At a Boeing meeting on the 9th, Calhoun admitted that the company had made mistakes regarding the recent accidents related to the Boeing 737 MAX 9 passenger aircraft.
Calhoun said Boeing will handle every step with complete transparency and work with the National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the accident, to find the cause. Separately, the Federal Aviation Administration is overseeing inspections “to ensure the safety of the next aircraft to take to the skies and to ensure that this type of accident does not happen again.” He also said that the accident “reminds us that we must take our work seriously” and that the company will “work hard to restore the confidence of airlines.”
Homendy said on the 10th that she had many questions about Calhoun’s statement admitting his mistake. “He said he made a mistake. I want to know what mistake he was referring to.”
Investigators examined the accident aircraft and the fallen door plug and found that four bolts that were supposed to hold the door plug in place were missing. Homendy said it was unclear whether the bolts were in place before the plane took off or if they fell out when the door jam came off. The National Transportation Safety Board laboratory will conduct a microscopic examination of the door jam, looking for scratches to determine whether the bolts are installed.
Quality control raises concerns
Alaska Airlines said on the 8th that preliminary reports from its technicians showed that some loose parts were visible on some Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft. United Airlines also said that during an emergency inspection mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration, it discovered some problems on its Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft, such as some bolts that needed to be tightened further.
Industry insiders said the planes in which the problems were discovered were produced and delivered at different times and for different airlines. The accident has once again heightened concerns about quality control problems that have plagued Boeing for years.
Some media reports pointed out that as Alaska Airlines and United Airlines both found loose bolts during inspections of Boeing 737 MAX 9 passenger aircraft, it is difficult to say that this accident is an accident. It is more like an accident for Boeing. Serious factory quality control issues.
In response to the Boeing 737 MAX 9 accident, some members of the U.S. Congress have called on the relevant Senate committees to hold hearings to evaluate the accident, Boeing’s engineering, and safety standards, and the quality of supervision by relevant regulatory agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration.
Editor in charge: Huang Donghong