Problem child 737 MAX 9

Boeing revises door panel after near-accident

At Alaska Airlines, a torn out part of the cabin of a Boeing 737 MAX 9 almost caused a catastrophe in January.

(Bild: 2024 NTSB)

US aircraft manufacturer Boeing wants to make design changes following the incident with a part of the aircraft cabin ripped out in flight at Alaska Airlines in January. The aim is to prevent a similar incident in future, the company announced on Tuesday. 

In future, the door should only be able to be closed if the bolts are securely and firmly in place - which was not the case in the accident.

Missing bolts continue to pose a mystery
The change is to be implemented within a year and retrofitted to the entire fleet. According to the US Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Boeing, it has not yet been possible to clarify who removed the door cover on the affected aircraft during production, removed four important bolts and replaced the cover. Boeing had stated in a hearing before the NTSB that there were no records of this.

The Alaska Airlines plane made an emergency landing after the incident.

(Bild: AP/National Transportation Safety Board)

According to the company, two employees who were allegedly involved were placed on leave. Boeing will now change the design so that the door can only be closed if the bolts are secure and tight, explained Elizabeth Lund, Head of Quality Assurance at Boeing.

Investigation and reputational damage after incident
The incident at Alaska Airlines severely damaged the reputation of the Airbus rival and led to a two-week ban on flying the Boeing 737 MAX 9, a ban on production expansion by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), criminal investigations and the resignation of several managers.