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The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday it is launching a formal investigation into the Boeing 737 MAX 9 after a cabin panel detonated on an Alaska Airlines flight while it was in flight last week, forcing it to make an emergency landing.
The FAA grounded 171 Boeing jets installed with the same panel after landing, most of which are operated by US airlines Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, pending safety inspections.
The FAA said the Alaska Airlines MAX 9 crash “never should have happened and cannot happen again.” It told Boeing about the investigation in a letter on Wednesday “to determine whether Boeing failed to ensure that completed products conformed to the approved design and were in safe operating condition in accordance with FAA regulations” and after learning of ” further discrepancies.”
Both Alaska and United said Monday they found loose parts on multiple grounded planes during preliminary checks, raising new concerns about how Boeing’s best-selling family of jets is produced.
Carriers still require revised inspection and maintenance instructions from Boeing. These instructions must be approved by the FAA before the company can begin flying planes again.