737 max 9 blowout of door plug

[LadyStanley]

Can't find the original video that explained the why of the door plug, but essentially, the 737 max 9 can be configured to up to 193 passengers, in which case, there are required exit doors at those locations in fuselage. This 737 max 9 was configured for 179 pax which did not require an emergency exit. Instead a door plug (which costs much less) was installed and was paneled on the interior like any other section of the fuselage. Alaska had alerts of pressurization issues on that aircraft for three flights and had removed it from flying to Hawaii, allowing to only fly over land.

FAA have grounded all 737 max 9 planes, effecting Alaska and United airlines in US.

United Airlines found loose bolts, other issues on a key part of grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners

United Airlines said Monday it found loose bolts and other “installation issues” on a part of some Boeing 737 Max 9 jets that were inspected after a mid-flight blowout on a similar Alaska Airlines jet Friday. The inspections are focused on plugs used to seal an area set aside for extra...

news.yahoo.com

Click to read more...

 

[JMCx4]

Subsequent United Airlines fleet inspections are contributing findings that may lead NTSB & Boeing to the root cause(s) of the door plug failure.

I still find it incredibly lucky that nobody was sitting in the two plug-adjacent seats. Makes me wonder if Alaska Air took precautions to block those seats from passenger assignment based on previous pressurization issues with that tail number.

 

[LadyStanley]

Heard that one guy had his shirt blown off.

They found a couple of cell phones that blew out of the plane (returned to NTSB).

 

[JMCx4]

Heard that one guy had his shirt blown off.

They found a couple of cell phones that blew out of the plane (returned to NTSB).

So this KGW-TV8 report appears to conflict with previous reports stating that nobody was sitting in the seats of the row adjacent to the door plug. The news story says: "The teen had been sitting in the middle seat of row 20, one seat away from the door plug. When it blew out, the sudden depressurization sucked his shirt from his body. (A fellow passenger) said that the teen's seatbelt saved his life. He was buckled in, and his mom helped pull him back from the hole....." NOTE TO SELF: Button shirt before boarding your flight.

 

[JMCx4]

Heard that one guy had his shirt blown off.

They found a couple of cell phones that blew out of the plane (returned to NTSB).

I hope the owners' mobile plans don't have roaming charges.

 

[JMCx4]

Still doesn't make me wanna switch from Android to an iPhone, but ...

 

[Seedtype]

Wow that's insane that the phones survived that.

Anyways I think the 737 Max alone is justifying my new interest in seeing trains make a comeback.

 

[Albatros]

Realistically a phone will have a significantly better chance of surviving such a drop from a plane than for example from a building. Will reach near-terminal velocity anyway and more likely to get a relatively soft landing hitting vegetation or alike.

 

[JMCx4]

Realistically a phone will have a significantly better chance of surviving such a drop from a plane than for example from a building. Will reach near-terminal velocity anyway and more likely to get a relatively soft landing hitting vegetation or alike.

Apple could spin this into one helluva strong marketing campaign. I hope they don't spoil it by denying the wayward phone owner's warranty claim.

 

[JMCx4]

... I think the 737 Max alone is justifying my new interest in seeing trains make a comeback.

Start building your time machine so you can hop back to the 1920s.

 

[LadyStanley]

Start building your time machine so you can hop back to the 1920s.

LA - Las Vegas high speed rail passed another milestone

 

[JMCx4]

LA - Las Vegas high speed rail passed another milestone

Call me when tickets are available.

 

[LadyStanley]

(They announced hiring 11k for high-speed rail project @JMCx4 )

Alaska Airlines passengers were hit in the face by debris, struggled with oxygen masks, and one had a seizure after landing, lawsuit says

14 passengers are named as plaintiffs in a class-action suit filed Tuesday, including three children, aged one, three, and five.

news.yahoo.com

Suit describes some of the injuries sustained. (Cockpit door opening after decompression is a design feature)

 

[JMCx4]

(They announced hiring 11k for high-speed rail project @JMCx4 )

Is your resume up-to-date?

 

[LadyStanley]

Boeing 737 MAX 9 door plug bolts appeared to be missing on Alaska jet, NTSB says

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A door panel that flew off a Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet mid-flight on Jan. 5 appeared to be missing four key bolts, according to a preliminary report from U.S. investigators that provided the first official look into how the frightening mishap took shape. Lawmakers and the...

finance.yahoo.com

Preliminary findings are that door was missing 4 bolts. Plug was removed during construction to fix some rivets.

 

[LadyStanley]

Spectacular, but not as dangerous (to pax)?

 

[JMCx4]

Spectacular, but not as dangerous (to pax)?

The passenger risk factor in such incidents is primarily influenced by the training & skills of the flight crew, especially the pilot. If they can expertly handle & land the aircraft in such "off-nominal conditions," the passenger risk level will be reduced significantly. So as you sit in your window seat, looking out at a jet engine doing a striptease, you should ask yourself (calmly): "I wonder if this airplane has an owner's manual in the glove box."