The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a temporary grounding directive for specific Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft, following an incident where an outer section of one plane detached during an Alaska Airlines flight. This safety measure will impact 171 airplanes, prompted by the need for thorough inspections.
In the incident on Friday night video from the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 captured by passengers revealed the mid-cabin exit door completely separating from the aircraft.
The flight, en route from Portland to Ontario, CA (California), experienced an alarming event shortly after departure. Alaska Airlines promptly confirmed the incident in a statement on their official website, stating, “AS1282 from Portland to Ontario, CA, experienced an incident this evening soon after departure. The aircraft landed safely back at Portland International Airport with 171 guests and 6 crew members. We are investigating what happened and will share more as it becomes available.”1282.
CEO Ben Minicucci reassured passengers and the public, stating, “Each aircraft will be returned to service only after completion of full maintenance and safety inspections.” He commended the swift actions of the six crew members onboard the flight, noting that the emergency descent began when the aircraft had climbed to more than 16,000 feet (4,876 meters), according to flight tracking data.
