The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered the temporary grounding of 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft following a mid-air cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight. The incident occurred on Friday shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon, forcing the brand-new plane to make an emergency landing.
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker stated on Saturday that immediate inspections are required before the planes can return to flight. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident, which involved a window and fuselage section detaching from the aircraft. Alaska Airlines had already grounded its entire fleet of 65 Max 9 planes as a precaution.
Passenger Evan Smith reported hearing a loud bang and seeing oxygen masks deploy. A boy sitting nearby had his shirt sucked out of the plane, but his mother held onto him. The NTSB noted that the two seats next to the blown-out panel were unoccupied, preventing a more tragic outcome. The plane carried 174 passengers and six crew members, all of whom landed safely.
Boeing expressed full support for the FAA's decision, stating safety is their top priority. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency adopted the FAA directive, though no EU carriers operate the affected configuration. The UK Civil Aviation Authority said it would require compliance for any Max 9 entering its airspace.
The affected aircraft, a Boeing 737 Max 9, received certification two months ago. Alaska Airlines and United Airlines are the only US carriers using the Max 9. Alaska cancelled 160 flights on Saturday, while United cancelled 104. The Max series has faced previous issues, including a worldwide grounding after two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.
