A former National Transportation Safety Board member tells CBS News he’s concerned that a failure in the process of manufacturing and inspection of Boeing’s 737 Max 9 aircraft led to a near disaster in the skies over Oregon last Friday.
The incident occurred when a panel on the side of the aircraft, commonly known as a “door plug,” blew out during the ascent of an Alaska Airlines flight from Portland to Ontario, California, reaching 16,000 feet. Expressing concern, former NTSB member John Goglia, who is also an FAA certified mechanic, suggested that there may have been oversights during the installation process, stating, “At the very least, installers missed something.” This incident raises questions about the overall process, leading to speculation about whether it was an isolated mistake or a systemic issue, possibly related to complacency among those involved in the installation. A former National Transportation
Given that the 737 Max 9 aircraft involved was relatively new, having rolled off Boeing’s assembly line in October, Goglia questioned the adequacy of oversight and inspections during the manufacturing and installation processes. He particularly emphasized the need for scrutiny at both the Boeing plant and the subcontractor facility in Wichita, Kansas, where the aircraft fuselages are manufactured.
Highlighting the potential lack of inspection requirements for the specific door plug installation, Goglia stressed the importance of thorough checks for any single point of failure that could lead to a potential crash. He emphasized the need for inspections conducted by both the individuals performing the work and an independent set of eyes to ensure that the installation was completed correctly, expressing concern about the absence of such measures in this case.