Alaska Airlines windshield cracks while landing in latest in-flight incident for Boeing
A small fracture on the inner windshield of the aircraft, Flight 9 from Washington, D.C., developed as it descended at Portland International Airport, according to a statement from Alaska Airlines given to FOX Business.
“The crew followed their checklists and the aircraft continued safely to its destination as scheduled,” according to the statement.
The Federal Aviation Administration carried out the inquiry, which was started earlier this year in response to an event in which an air panel blew off an Alaska Airlines aircraft mid-flight.
The New York Times reports that Boeing received a total of 97 points of noncompliance, failing 33 of the audit’s components. The business completed the audit with 56 points.
John Barnette, a Boeing whistleblower, was discovered dead a few days after testifying against the company.
An internal slide show that the FAA created and gave to the outlet was referenced in the story.
Spirit AeroSystems, which manufactures fuselage components for Boeing 737 Max aircraft, was also audited, and the outlet stated that it failed seven out of thirteen audit points.
The slide show described a situation in which Spirit mechanics lubricated a door seal with Dawn liquid soap and then used a cheesecloth to clean it. The procedure was described as “vague and unclear on what specifications/actions are to be followed or recorded by the mechanic.”
BOEING 737 MAX PRODUCTION IS HIT BY FAA AUDIT OVER QUALITY CONTROL ISSUES
The audit was prompted by the Jan. 5 incident when a new Boeing 737 Max 9 had its plug door panel blow off during an Alaska Airlines flight at 16,000 feet, which caused the cabin to depressurize and the flight to return safely to Portland International Airport in Oregon.
The door panel appeared to be missing four key bolts, according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that was released last month.
The FAA has given Boeing 90 days to outline its action plan in response to the audit’s findings.
Previously, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said Boeing must develop a comprehensive plan to address “systemic quality control issues” following an all-day meeting with Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun and the aerospace giant’s safety team.
“Boeing must commit to real and profound improvements,” Whitaker said following last week’s meeting. “Making foundational change will require a sustained effort from Boeing’s leadership, and we are going to hold them accountable every step of the way, with mutually understood milestones and expectations.”
John Barnett, the whistleblower that publicly raised doubts about Boeing’s production standards was found dead this week. Investigators claim his death was the result of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.