PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Alaska Airlines again grounded all of its Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners on Sunday after federal officials indicated further maintenance might be required to assure that another inflight blowout like the one that damaged one of its planes doesn’t happen again.

On Saturday, the airline inspected and returned 18 out of 65 of its 737 Max 9 planes to service. This was following an incident on Friday night where a portion of one plane’s fuselage blew out at an altitude of three miles (4.8 kilometers) above Oregon. The plane, which had 171 passengers and six crew members, experienced a loss of pressure but was able to safely return to Portland International Airport without any major injuries.

According to a statement from the airline, they made the decision based on a notice from the Federal Aviation Administration, which suggested that further work may be necessary. This decision only applies to certain versions of the 737; others are not impacted.

The airline stated that these planes have been taken out of service until the FAA confirms any necessary maintenance. They are working with the FAA to determine if any additional work is needed before the planes can resume service.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated the suspension of certain 737 Max 9 aircraft on Saturday for inspection, a procedure that typically takes four hours. There are currently approximately 171 737 Max 9s in operation worldwide.

Approximately 20% of the planes in Alaska Airlines’ fleet are aircraft. According to FlightAware.com, around one-fifth of Alaska’s flights for Sunday were cancelled as of midday. United Airlines, which also has Max 9s in its fleet, had a cancellation rate of approximately 10% for Sunday.

Senator Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington state, leads the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and expressed support for the grounding of Alaska Air’s Max 9 aircraft for thorough inspections.

In a statement, she emphasized the importance of safety. She also stated that aviation production must adhere to strict standards, such as quality control inspections and thorough FAA supervision.

The NTSB is currently conducting an investigation into the accident that occurred on Friday. They are actively searching for the missing door from the covered exit that was blown out. According to NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, they have a general understanding of where the door may have landed, in the Cedar Hills area near Oregon Route 217 and Barnes Road west of Portland. Homendy provided this update during a press conference held on Saturday evening.

She urged, “If you come across it, please notify the authorities immediately.”

On Sunday afternoon, a group of community members were searching an area of land with dense vegetation, situated between crowded roads and a light rail station. This location is directly opposite a large hospital complex.

Adam Pirkle reported that he traveled 14 miles (22 kilometers) on his bicycle, navigating through dense vegetation while searching. He stated, “I have been examining the flight path and wind patterns. My focus has been on wooded areas.”

Daniel Feldt walked through the same dense bushes, using binoculars after coming down from the top of a parking garage next to the light rail station. “I was on top of the parking garage, surveying everything. I didn’t notice any openings in the bushes that seemed like something had fallen through,” he explained.

Gavin Redshaw brought his drone for an aerial perspective, but as of Sunday afternoon, he had not discovered anything. He stated, “There is a lot of garbage, but no door.”

Since 2009, there has not been a significant incident where a U.S. passenger carrier crashed within the country. The last one occurred when a Colgan Air flight crashed near Buffalo, New York, resulting in the deaths of all 49 passengers and one person on the ground. In 2013, an Asiana Airlines flight from South Korea crashed while landing at San Francisco International Airport, resulting in the deaths of three out of the 307 people on board.

At 5:07 p.m. on Friday, Flight 1282 departed from Portland and was scheduled to arrive in Ontario, California after a two-hour flight. However, approximately six minutes into the flight, a section of the plane’s fuselage ruptured while flying at 16,000 feet (4.8 kilometers). The pilot immediately declared an emergency and requested permission to lower the plane’s altitude to 10,000 feet (3 kilometers) in order to ensure there was enough oxygen for the passengers to breathe safely.

Passengers’ videos on social media depicted a large gap where the covered emergency exit used to be, with passengers wearing masks. When the plane made a successful landing about 13 minutes after the tire explosion, they applauded. Firefighters then proceeded to walk down the aisle, instructing passengers to stay seated as they attended to the injured.

According to Homendy, it was fortunate that the airplane had not yet reached its intended altitude for cruising. This was because both passengers and flight attendants would typically be moving about the cabin at that point.

“The seat in 26A and B where the door plug is located was unoccupied. The airplane was approximately at an altitude of 16,000 feet and only 10 minutes away from the airport when the door suddenly exploded,” she reported. It is estimated that the investigation will require several months.

According to online records from the FAA, the plane in question was completed and certified two months ago. FlightRadar24, a tracking service, stated that it had completed 145 flights since being put into commercial use on November 11. The flight from Portland was its third of the day.

Aviation specialists were shocked by the fact that a section of a recently built airplane broke off mid-flight. Anthony Brickhouse, an instructor specializing in aviation safety at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, acknowledged that he has witnessed instances of fuselage panels detaching from planes in the past, but he couldn’t recall one where passengers were able to see the city lights from their windows.

The Max is the latest iteration of the 737 model from Boeing, a popular twin-engine, single-aisle aircraft commonly utilized for domestic flights within the United States. It first began operating in May 2017.

The leader of the flight attendants’ union at 19 airlines, which includes Alaska Airlines, praised the crew for ensuring the safety of passengers.

Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, stated on Saturday that all Flight Attendants undergo emergency training and prioritize aviation safety above all else during every flight.

In 2018 and 2019, two Max 8 jets were involved in crashes, causing the deaths of 346 individuals. This resulted in a global suspension of all Max 8 and Max 9 planes for almost two years. The planes were cleared to resume operations only after Boeing implemented modifications to a computerized flight control system that was found to have played a role in the accidents.

In the previous year, the FAA instructed pilots to restrict usage of the anti-ice system on the Max during dry conditions due to worries that the inlets near the engines could become too hot and detach, potentially hitting the aircraft.

There have been occasional pauses in the maximum number of deliveries due to necessary repairs for manufacturing defects. In December, the company notified airlines to conduct inspections on the aircrafts for a potential issue with a loose bolt in the rudder-control mechanism.

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Koenig provided coverage from Dallas while Bohrer reported from Juneau, Alaska. Terry Spencer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Audrey McAvoy in Honolulu, Hawaii, both of the Associated Press, also made contributions.

Source: wral.com