NTSB releases preliminary investigation report
“4 MED plugger bolts missing”
Regarding the Boeing 737 Max 9, which was embroiled in controversy due to an accident in which a hole was opened in the fuselage during flight, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced that it had determined that four bolts securing the door plug of the fuselage were missing during assembly.
According to CNN Business on the 6th (local time), the NTSB announced this in its preliminary investigation report.
“Four bolts were missing from the MED (middle egress door) plug,” the NTSB explained in its report.
The report also includes photos taken during assembly in September of last year, several months before the fuselage was delivered to Alaska Airlines, where it is confirmed that bolts are missing.
CNN Business reported that the fuselage had been flying with bolts missing for several months before the accident occurred last month.
The door plug is a cover that blocks the part that provides an emergency exit, and this is the part where the accident occurred this time when it fell off.
This report is the result of a preliminary investigation and does not assess specific responsibility or cause for the incident. It is expected that it will take more than a year to release the final report.
Boeing said in a statement following the release of this report, “No matter what the final conclusion is, Boeing is responsible for what happened,” and that it is working to prevent a recurrence.
Previously, Alaska Airlines’ Boeing 737 Max 9 took off from Portland, Oregon, USA on the 5th and was flying towards Ontario, California, when its windows were broken at an altitude of 16,000 feet (approximately 4880m), and the emergency door and part of the fuselage were torn off. An emergency return was made within minutes.
There were 174 passengers and 6 crew members on board the plane at the time, but no casualties occurred.
On the 6th, the day after the accident, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) banned the operation of about 170 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft used by all U.S. airlines and ordered a full safety-related investigation.
Meanwhile, it is known that there are no airlines in Korea that operate the Boeing 737 Max 9 model.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.