Latest News

NTSB, Boeing have not been able to recognize who got rid of 737 MAX 9 door plug

The National Transport Safety Board and Boeing have actually not been able to determine who got rid of a door plug in a brand-new 737 MAX 9 Alaska Airline companies 737 MAX 9 that suffered an inflight emergency in January, the board's chair stated on Tuesday.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told press reporters Boeing requires to make considerable enhancements to its security practices.

The security culture requires a great deal of work (at Boeing), she said. It is not there from the proof itself, from what you see in the interviews. There's not a great deal of trust, there's a lot of mistrust within the labor force.

The Federal Aviation Administration has likewise stated Boeing need to enhance its security culture and practices and directed it to address quality issues before the firm will allow the planemaker to increase 737 MAX production.

Boeing did not right away comment.

The NTSB has stated the 737 MAX 9 was missing out on four crucial bolts. Boeing has actually stated required files detailing the elimination of the door plug throughout production of a 737 MAX 9 that failed during the in-flight emergency situation were never ever produced.

Boeing has actually provided a list of 52 prior cases of a door plug removal considering that 2019.

Boeing's senior vice president for quality, Elizabeth Lund, said the planemaker has now put a bright blue and yellow indication on the door plug when it reaches the factory that states in huge letters: Do not open and includes a redundancy to guarantee that the plug is not inadvertently opened.

Homendy stated the NTSB has not had the ability to interview the door plug team supervisor, who has actually been on medical leave. Previously this year, the NTSB had to press Boeing to get the names of the 25 employees who dealt with the door plug.

The NTSB has conducted some interviews and acquired some written statements. I have some issues since each of those composed declarations end with the line-- I have no knowledge, Homendy said. It's the exact same real line. So I have some concerns about that.

(source: Reuters)