The condition of the fragment and adjacent fuselage elements indicate the absence of four bolts in a mounting mechanism, the NTSB said in a preliminary report Tuesday. The bolts are actually intended to ensure that the fuselage part cannot move upwards.
The researchers’ findings are likely to increase pressure on Boeing to dramatically improve quality controls. The NTSB has not yet made any official conclusions about the cause of the dramatic incident.
Hull part broken off
On January 5, shortly after takeoff, part of the fuselage of row 26 of the seats broke off on Alaska Airlines’ nearly new 737-9 Max with more than 170 people on board. At this point, some multi-seat type configurations have a door. The affected variant of the 737-9 Max instead has a lid that closes the opening. No one was seriously injured in the incident, but by a fortunate coincidence the two seats immediately at the opening remained empty.
Following the incident, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other authorities ordered all 170 similar aircraft of this type to be grounded for investigation. Alaska and United Airlines also found loose fasteners in the area of other aircraft. It wasn’t until late January that the FAA released the procedure for inspections, after which the planes were allowed to take off again. There are no aircraft of the model concerned in use by EU airlines.
Tightened controls at Boeing
After the incident, the FAA announced stricter inspections at Boeing – and some airlines also want to send their own inspectors to the production lines. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun reiterated after the preliminary NTSB report that the company ultimately bears responsibility for the plane. Boeing also assured that quality supervision would be improved immediately. The FAA had banned Boeing from making plans to expand production of the 737. According to the instructions, the company should first get the problems under control.
The fuselage of the 737 models is built by supplier Spirit Aerosystems and then passed on to Boeing for final assembly. According to the NTSB’s findings, the fuselage fragment was removed from Boeing for rework. A Boeing photo shows the assembled part without the bolts. According to investigators, the lack of damage to the bolt holders also indicates that they were also missing during the flight. (sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
