U.S. FAA: All Alaska Airlines flights under ground stop.

U.S. FAA: All Alaska Airlines flights under ground stop.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded all flights operated by Alaska Airlines following a midair incident involving a Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft. The decision comes as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released a final investigative report that highlighted significant safety deficiencies in the aircraft's manufacturing process.

The NTSB report, released on July 10, 2024, revealed that one of the mid-exit door plugs on the aircraft blew out midair on January 5, 2024. The incident occurred during a flight from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California. The NTSB found that the door plug had moved incrementally upward during previous flight cycles and departed the aircraft during the accident flight. The cause of the incident was traced back to missing bolts that should have prevented the door from moving, which were removed and seemingly not replaced during repairs at Boeing's Renton, Washington, factory [1].

The NTSB also noted that Boeing had not fully implemented its safety management system, which was initiated in 2016 as part of a settlement to resolve 13 enforcement cases. The company later modified its safety management system and safety culture after two fatal crashes involving its 737 Max aircraft in 2018 and 2019. However, many issues remained unresolved [1].

In response to the NTSB report, the FAA issued a ground stop for all Alaska Airlines flights involving the Boeing 737-9 Max aircraft. The agency has also called for a comprehensive review of Boeing's safety culture and management processes. The FAA has recommended that Boeing apply its safety management system process to current and future revisions of its performance part or assembly removal instructions and develop recurring training for manufacturing personnel [1].

The incident has led to multiple lawsuits from passengers who experienced physical and psychological trauma. The lawsuit sought damages for emotional and physical injuries, including severe stress, anxiety, trauma, and hearing injuries. The lawsuit was settled for an undisclosed amount and dismissed with prejudice on July 7, 2024 [2].

Boeing is facing additional scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Justice, which reopened a case over two crashes that killed 346 people. The company initially resolved the case in 2021 but may now be required to pay $1.1 billion to avoid criminal charges and drop the lawsuit [2].

The FAA renewed Boeing's Organization Designation Authorization for three years, effective June 1, 2024. The agency's Congress-mandated oversight program supervises and conducts inspections for companies to drive performance improvements, such as safety management processes [1].

While the Alaska Airlines investigation is complete, the incident is not over for Boeing. The company is working to improve its manufacturing process at its commercial airplane facilities on the West Coast. Boeing, along with its engine supplier GE Aerospace, the NTSB, and the FAA, are involved in another plane crash investigation overseas involving an Air India Dreamliner 787-8 aircraft that killed 260 people and injured one on June 12, 2024 [1].

References:

[1] https://www.manufacturingdive.com/news/boeing-faa-inadequate-training-oversight-737-max-doorplug-blowout-ntsb/752872/
[2] https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/passengers-settle-massive-lawsuit-alaska-airlines-boeing-midflight-door-plug-failure