During a recent federal safety hearing, a Boeing safety executive revealed that the company is currently working on design changes to prevent another incident similar to the near catastrophic blowout of a door plug on a 737 Max 9 earlier this year. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released over 3,000 pages of documents related to Flight 1282, shedding light on various issues within Boeing and its fuselage maker, Spirit AeroSystems.
Preliminary investigation results indicated that bolts meant to secure the door were not properly attached, leading to the incident. While no serious injuries were reported, the lack of proper safety procedures at Boeing raised concerns. The NTSB chair, Jennifer Homendy, emphasized that the investigation was not a public relations campaign for Boeing but rather a serious examination of the events that occurred on January 5th.
Proposed Changes
Elizabeth Lund, the head of safety for Boeing’s commercial airplane unit, mentioned that the company is actively working on design changes to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future. The proposed changes would prevent the door plug from being closed unless it is firmly secured. These modifications are expected to be implemented within the year to enhance safety measures.
Following the blowout incident, Boeing underwent a management shakeup, with the appointment of a new CEO, Robert “Kelly” Ortberg. The incident not only affected Boeing’s internal operations but also led to delays in delivering new planes to customers, damaging the company’s reputation with airlines and regulators. Dave Calhoun, the outgoing CEO, highlighted the need to address manufacturing flaws and eliminate defects before handing over aircraft to customers.
Boeing is currently in the process of acquiring Spirit AeroSystems to closely monitor quality control and ensure that such safety lapses are rectified. The company aims to eliminate any instances of “traveled work,” where defective components of the plane are fixed out of sequence before delivery. By acquiring Spirit AeroSystems, Boeing hopes to have greater oversight of its manufacturing processes.
The near catastrophic blowout incident on the 737 Max 9 highlighted significant safety concerns within Boeing and its manufacturing partners. The proposed design changes and management shakeup are crucial steps towards addressing these issues and restoring confidence in Boeing’s commitment to safety and quality in the aviation industry.