Alaska Airlines has grounded some of its Boeing 737 Max aircraft after a section of the fuselage fell off one of its planes mid-flight on Friday. The plane, with 177 passengers and crew on board, made an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon safely.
Details of the Mid-Air Incident
During the flight at 16,000 ft altitude, there was a loud bang from the rear left side of the plane. The cabin depressurized and oxygen masks dropped down. A section of the fuselage had come off, leaving a gap as wide as a refrigerator. The intense winds sucked a phone out of a passenger’s hand. While terrifying, all passengers had their seat belts fastened and no one was injured.
DGCA Directs Safety Checks in India
Following this incident, India’s aviation regulator DGCA has asked local carriers operating Boeing 737-8 Max planes to conduct one-time inspections of the emergency exits. Though no Indian airline operates the same model as Alaska Airlines, the directives are meant to add an extra layer of safety. Boeing has offered support for the investigation but not issued any formal guidelines yet.
The Affected Alaska Airlines Plane
The particular plane was a new Boeing 737-9 model delivered just two months back in November 2022. Alaska Airlines has grounded its entire Boeing 737-9 fleet now. As per its CEO, the planes will return to service only after complete maintenance and safety checks.
Last week, Boeing had instructed airlines to inspect 737 MAX planes for a potential issue with the rudder control system. The recent mid-air incident has put the spotlight back on safety of the Boeing 737 Max models. Aviation regulators will likely order stringent checks before clearing the grounded planes.
