FAA Grounds Dozens of Boeing 737 Max 9s After Alaska Flight Incident, Loose Bolts Found

United Airlines has disclosed the discovery of loose bolts on door plugs of several Boeing 737 Max 9 planes.

This alarming situation came to light during inspections following a panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight, leading to the grounding of dozens of 737 Max 9s by the Federal Aviation Administration.

United Airlines issued a statement stating, “Since we began preliminary inspections on Saturday, we have found instances that appear to relate to installation issues in the door plug — for example, bolts that needed additional tightening. These findings will be remedied by our Tech Ops team to safely return the aircraft to service,” as reported by CNBC.

Prompted by the unfortunate incident on Alaska Flight 1282, Boeing had earlier urged airlines to conduct inspections of their Max 9 fleets. Boeing expressed regret for the impact on customers and passengers, emphasizing their commitment to meeting design specifications and the highest safety standards.

Although no serious injuries occurred in the recent accident, the force of the panel blowout caused headrests and seat backs to be ripped from the cabin, with the cockpit door violently flung open, according to initial details from a federal safety investigation. Fortunately, the two seats next to the panel were unoccupied during the incident.

The National Transportation Safety Board revealed that the incident’s impact could have been much worse at cruising altitude when crews and passengers typically move around the cabin.

In a surprising twist, the missing part that blew off during the incident was later found in a Portland backyard, as reported by NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy during a news conference. A Portland school teacher named Bob discovered the part and promptly contacted the agency, adding a unique twist to the unfolding story, as highlighted by CNN.