Federal officials have mandated the immediate grounding of all Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners for inspections. This is reported by AP News.
This decision comes after an alarming incident involving an Alaska Airlines plane, where a part of the fuselage and a window blew out mid-flight.
The Incident in Detail
The Alaska Airlines flight, bound for Ontario, California, had just departed from Portland, Oregon, when the incident occurred.
Passenger Evan Smith vividly described the moment to KATU-TV:
“You heard a big loud bang to the left rear. A whooshing sound and all the oxygen masks deployed instantly and everyone got those on.” In a harrowing account, Smith recounted how a child’s shirt was sucked out of the plane when the window blew out.
Despite the chaos, the pilots managed to safely land the plane back at Portland International Airport merely 20 minutes after takeoff.
The flight crew’s composed and efficient handling of the situation was crucial in ensuring the safety of all 174 passengers and six crew members on board.
The Association of Flight Attendants praised the crew, emphasizing their training and commitment to aviation safety.
Inspections and Investigations
The inspection process for the 171 aircraft affected worldwide is expected to take between four to eight hours per plane.
Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci expressed his concern for those involved:
“My heart goes out to those who were on this flight – I am so sorry for what you experienced.” The airline has grounded its 65 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft, which make up a significant portion of their fleet. The impact of these groundings on the airline's flight schedule remains uncertain.
The National Transportation Safety Board's investigation into this incident is ongoing, with the aviation community keenly awaiting their findings. The focus remains on understanding what occurred on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 to prevent similar incidents in the future.
