The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has initiated a new round of interviews with Boeing and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) personnel as part of its investigation into the in-flight emergency involving an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 in January. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy confirmed that investigators are conducting interviews at the Boeing plant in Renton, Washington, to ensure that all records related to instances where a door plug was opened and closed are available.
Boeing’s shares fell by 2 percent following the announcement, and the company declined to comment on the interviews. Last month, Boeing revealed that it believed the required documents detailing the removal of the door plug in the Alaska Airlines plane were never created. Homendy emphasized that the focus is on the process rather than individual personnel involved, stating that missing records are the primary concern.
The door plug incident occurred shortly after the Alaska Airlines flight took off from Portland, Oregon, on January 5. The NTSB investigation is also examining Boeing’s safety culture, and Homendy mentioned the possibility of conducting a safety culture survey at the company. She praised Boeing for its cooperation and willingness to understand and rectify the issue.
As a result of the incident, the FAA grounded the MAX 9 for several weeks, prohibited Boeing from increasing MAX production, and ordered the company to address quality-control issues within 90 days. The NTSB previously stated that four key bolts were missing from the door plug that blew out during the incident.
The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into the emergency, and Homendy criticized Boeing in March for its lack of cooperation and failure to disclose certain documents, including information about the door plug opening and closing as well as the names of workers involved. After her comments, Boeing provided the requested information and expressed its cooperation with the investigation.
The NTSB plans to hold a public investigative hearing into the Alaska Airlines incident on August 6-7. The hearing will include testimony from employees at Boeing, fuselage manufacturer Spirit AeroSystems, and representatives from Alaska Airlines.
The investigation into the 737 MAX 9 door plug issue continues to unfold, shedding light on potential safety concerns and raising questions about Boeing’s manufacturing processes. As the NTSB conducts interviews and gathers evidence, the industry eagerly awaits the findings of the investigation, which could have significant implications for the future of Boeing and the aviation industry as a whole.
