US investigates Boeing plane's mid-air fuselage split

The US Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the Boeing 737 MAX door panel failure of Alaska Airlines and is interviewing those involved.

The Wall Street Journal on March 9 quoted sources familiar with the situation as saying that investigators from the US Department of Justice had contacted a number of passengers and crew members on Alaska Airlines flight number 1282 on January 5.

"The Justice Department's investigation is a normal course of action in such matters. We are cooperating fully and believe we are not the target of the investigation," an Alaska Airlines spokesman said.

The door seal was blown off on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft in the incident on January 5. Photo: Reuters — The door seal was blown off on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft in the incident on January 5. Photo: *Reuters*

Sources stressed that not all investigations will result in criminal charges. However, Boeing could be prosecuted for defrauding the government if it is found to have violated the terms of the 2021 settlement. US authorities could also extend the three-year probation agreement, which requires Boeing to continually report to the Justice Department on improvements in compliance.

The investigation team from the US Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General is also seeking to interview multiple Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials in the Seattle area who are responsible for overseeing Boeing's aircraft production line.

Boeing has not commented on the information.

On January 5, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 was on a routine flight from Oregon to California when part of the fuselage suddenly burst open, revealing a hole as large as an emergency exit. The cabin pressure dropped sharply, causing many belongings to be sucked out. The pilot quickly reduced altitude and made an emergency landing, all 177 people on board were safe.

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced the results of its preliminary investigation on February 6, saying that four screws that prevent the door seal from moving upward were missing before it detached from the locking gasket. The agency determined that the technician removed the screws when repairing another part but did not reinstall them before installing the interior panel.

Alaska Airlines conducted an internal inspection after the incident and discovered that many Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes had loose screws.

US officials also urged airlines to inspect the Boeing 737-900ER series of aircraft, which share the same door seal design as the 737 MAX. The FAA said some airlines discovered "issues with screws" when inspecting door seals on the 737-900ER during maintenance.

Vu Anh (According to Wall Street Journal )

Source link