Following yet another incident, most recently on Friday night, reasonable questions about one of Boeing’s most controversial planes are being asked: Is the 737 MAX safe?
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Alaska Airlines 1282 Rapid Decompression Event
On Friday night, January 5th, 2024, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 had a “plugged” exit door lost during the climb out from Portland, Oregon (PDX) to Ontario, California. The 737 MAX 9 is built large enough that additional exit doors are required for high-density configurations on operators like Copa and RyanAir.
For airlines like Alaska Airlines with lower density, this exit door which fits behind the wing exits and before the aft exits is permanently sealed or “plugged.” This exit door on the port side of the aircraft (left facing the cockpit) separated during flight.
No one was sitting in the seat next to the exit at the time, seat 26A, and no passengers were injured or killed in the event though articles including a child’s shirt and some cell phones were ripped out of the aircraft.
The aircraft was delivered to Alaska Airlines just two months ago. Alaska currently has 80 firm deliveries slated for the next few years with options on another 105. Following the incident, the operator grounded its 737 MAX 9 fleet for inspections (Bloomberg, paywall.) Since then, the FAA grounded all 170+ 737 MAX 9 aircraft in the United States for inspection.
“Hours later, Alaska Airlines was once again forced to cancel flights after concluding that the inspections might not be compliant with an Emergency Airworthiness Directive issued by the Federal Aviation Administration on Saturday.” – Paddle Your Own Kanoo
Cancellations are expected to continue for both Alaska and United throughout the week beginning January 8th, 2024 as the planes are inspected.
Litany Of Boeing Quality Issues
Known for quality, Boeing has long held the position of quality engineering and some of the safest aircraft in the world. The 787 Dreamliner, for example, had issues with its batteries onboard that delayed deliveries for an extended period.
I was staying at the Hyatt Regency Lake Washington at Seattle’s Southport in Renton, Washington right next to the 737 factory when the Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 crash occurred in March 2019. That version was a 737 MAX 8 and the second crash in five months following Lion Air flight 610 which crashed in October of 2018. I marveled that the facility was still open with staff walking around the facility when I would have expected a safety stand-down.
Both of those MAX aircraft incidents involved its new MCAS software forcing the jackscrew to adjust the pitch down the angle of attack against pilot flight control commands. While the Federal Aviation Administration initially defended the safety of the aircraft, it ultimately grounded the aircraft until March of 2020, the dawn of COVID. Following flight data analysis and a review by the National Transportation Safety Board and equivalents worldwide, adjustments were made to the software control system and training requirements for flight crews operating 737 MAX airplanes. Those two fatal crashes took the lives of 346 people.
Just last week, an airline maintenance worker found a bolt that did not have an expected washer before the nut. While that has not caused the fleet to be officially grounded, Boeing recommended operators perform a two-hour inspection of affected aircraft to determine the presence of the washer and make appropriate adjustments.
That particular issue reminds me of the many aircraft crashes that have resulted from failures with the jackscrew, a key control piece for the horizontal stabilizer or elevators. It may not be related, but that’s what comes to my mind.
This plugged door will almost certainly result in future inspections and perhaps a temporary grounding of the fleet until safety and suitability can be confirmed.
For what it’s worth, the manufacturer has struggled to complete certification of the Boeing 737 MAX 10, and 777X (777-8, 777-9, and potentially the 777-10.)
Is The 737 MAX Safe?
Reasonable travelers can ask if the 737 MAX is safe. It’s a fair question at this point. You don’t have to be an alarmist to wonder if Boeing jets are still as safe as they ever were. Even airline customers like American Airlines were hesitant to bring the type back into operation because of concerns about public acceptance.
I have several family members who are nervous flyers, and this incident won’t help. Clients have reached out too, asking if they should switch flights booked well into the fall that are scheduled on the 737 MAX 9. That said, aircraft and the pilots that fly them are always safer after incidents such as these because the proper inspections are performed to ensure they don’t happen again.
It’s fair to ask if Boeing has gone too fast in its race against Airbus for the commercial market. One documentary suggested that it was Boeing’s merger with McDonnell-Douglas that began its engineering and safety downfall.
The MCAS issue has been solved, but the ongoing concern around Boeing’s quality of delivery and the suppliers around the world it depends on is in question. It’s my understanding that both the washer incident and the plugging of this exit door would have been completed by Boeing personnel.
Ultimately, in the case of the loose bolt, a maintenance person located an issue and the market took a reasonable approach to inspection and applying a remedy if needed (in progress.) While the emergency door feels like a quality concern, it should be noted that even if a passenger were seated at 26A, the seat was still intact at landing. If the passenger were to have worn their seatbelt at the time of the incident, which is likely since it was just a few minutes after takeoff, they would likely have still remained there though it’s possible they would have suffered serious injury.
While that’s cold comfort to family and friends, it’s worth mentioning.
Conclusion
Ultimately, one of the most scrutinized aircraft in the jet age will once again go under deep analysis and will be even safer as a result. But it’s perfectly reasonable to ask whether Boeing is still putting out a safe product. Their actions, from the 787 battery issues, to third-party imposter parts, MCAS software issues, this loose bolt, and finally the incident that prompted the latest inquiry, have given reasonable cause of concern. It’s not an issue of the operator nor the missions they fly, but rather the integrity of the manufacturing process. Still, the NTSB is world-class and if they deem it worthy, I’ll be climbing onboard with my family.
What do you think? Will you continue to fly on 737 MAX 9 aircraft?
More and more, the answer is no.
@larry … How does one know which windows are part of a “plugged” door ? Is it highlighted somewhere on a seat map ?
It depends on the seating configuration of the aircraft; however on Alaska Airlines 7M9s, the plugged door is row 26.
If you look at the plane map at aerolopa, you can see that the area in question has a larger distance between windows.
Kyle: Reasonable travelers can ask if the 737 MAX is safe. It’s a fair question at this point
NO. It is unreasonable to think this. The 737 MAX is safe but it is potentially reasonable to ask if it could be more safe. But look at the vast majority of people acting stupid and not wearing masks and not bring vaccinated (82% of Americans are non-compliant with getting the current October 2023 vaccine formulation). Worry about the extremely remote and not the common risk?
Another thing…no worries about the common 737-900ER, which has the same plug design?
Worry about the all MAXs despite the mAX8 not having this plug?
If one is worried, be scared of the 737-900ER and MAx9. Be scared of potentially pilots being drunk. Be scared of car accidents going to the airport. Be scared of fatal robbery attempts. Be scared of Covid and heart attacks and cancer, all far more likely.
I believe the design is reasonably ok but a company is becoming so complex with hundreds of planes built yearly, quest for fuel efficiency, that management of such huge company becomes complex. Gone are the old days when a company made only 3 or 5 jets per month. Gone are the old days when some DC8’s had 13 exits and no plugs for door openings but had the same capacity as a 6 door 737MAX9.
Get your fall 2023 covid vaccine and slap on a mask when in a crowded airport and plane.
Covid vaccine.
Masks.
Makes everything else you say meaningless.
What a and a
Sad people like this walk among us. Thinking they have the right to tell others what they should do. If your “vaccine” works, why do you care?
Probably a pharma rep that had a bad 2023 pitching this garbage.
@DaveEdwards … I’ll tell you a true mask story . The Surgeon General of the United States , no less , was walking in a beachfront park on Oahu , in Hawaii , and he was given a summons for not wearing a mask . He had to retain a lawyer to defend himself before a judge dismissed the case . Hawaii , with the freshest air on earth , had mask rules from the “catch-22” mindset . True story .
You can get Covid from outdoors. I got it from outdoor dining. However, put priorities first and that is controlling indoor transmission of Covid. The vast majority of people have surrendered….no masks, no vaccine, stupidity. Those people shouldn’t complain about the MAX9 because they have their sense of risk all wrong…..worried about rare things, not doing things about common problems.
@derek … I received the vaccine and boosters because it was required . However , I continue to have doubts about it’s importance , particularly in Hawaii with the freshest winds and air , ( together with Alaska ) . But if you are on a subway in NYC , go for it . By the way , I notice you included “dog bite” on your list of causes of death ; airlines ought not coddle the dog owners allowing them to bring their fang-beasts onto the airplane .= ===
@alert
I was surprised that dog bite is among the top 25 causes of death.
Alaska and Hawaii have long Covid and Covid deaths, too.
@derek … remember the off-duty pilot in the cockpit jump seat who ate all the mushrooms ? He was one for the books .
Because masks and the vaccine worked so well the first time.
Fortunately in the USA they did. It’s why our economy recovered so quickly and is once again the strongest economy in the world.
China used their own bad vaccines and look what happened. Their economy is the toilet.
Many ignorant and stupid Americans don’t want to believe it, but the facts show that the vaccines worked in the United States.
No injuries? CNN reports some passengers claimed injury and sought medical attention.
Alaska has already paid compensation in an attempt to hold off pesky lawyers trying to make money.
The answer is no.
I don’t know if it’s safe. all i know is i prefer Airbus
@derek How ridiculous equating the safety of an airplane with wearing a mask. If masks even work, at this point getting COVID is less dangerous than getting flu. Certainly to be avoided but not at all costs. Whereas choosing an airline that flies 737s instead of the 320 series can be avoided. The real question is whether it’s worth the cost and nuisance given that, if you drive to the airport you’re more likely to die that way.
Personally, I’m not going to inconvenience myself by wearing a mask and I’m not going to inconvenience myself by taking public transport to the airport. However, I generally choose 320 series aircraft over 737s if other factors are the same but that’s mostly because the seats are wider and only partly because it’s clear that, by airplane standards, the 737MAX is clearly a dud.
@NB Another Communist propaganda misinformation, just like Putin does….
“getting COVID is less dangerous than getting flu” WRONG, STUPID, FALSE.
Over 1.1 million people in the US dead. Did flu do that? No.
How about last month? 4% of deaths in the US from Covid. Did flu do that? No.
Covid can result in long Covid. Does flu do that or anything similar? No.
Covid is up 13% from last week. Uptick.
How many people died from the plug blowing out? ZERO.
How many people went to the ICU from the plug blowing out? ZERO.
Covid is preventable yet the vast majority of people do nothing about it. No mask, No vaccine (3 years ago doesn’t count). Acting like it was 2019. Yet the horror of the rare door plug mishap.
People need to get real with Covid. It’s a public health hazard and a significant disease worse than the flu. Easy to reduce risks by wearing a mask and getting vaccinated. 82% of Americans are not vaccinated (and 3 years ago doesn’t count….you should get the October 2023 vaccine)
Go get your weekly booster, miss derek. You sound like you’re on your period, and we know the AmericaVax helps get rid of those.
That is terrible and uninformed advice. It is not good to get Covid vaccines weekly. In contrast, people go the other way with 82% of Americans not getting the vaccine (not counting the vaccine 3 years ago, which has worn out as expected with many vaccines, like the tetanus shot, etc).
See, I don’t think the fact that this is a MAX is the real issue. The real concern here is that this is a two-month old airplane, and shouldn’t be having failures like this so soon. When the two MAX crashes happened, a lot came out about the dodgy practices and culture that had become common at Boeing. The question this incident raises is whether or not this door plug failure is an example of cost-cutting at the company, or another shady practice. That’s what I’m waiting to find out. If that is the case, this could be disastrous for Boeing, and one could be forgiven for wondering what other weaknesses besides door plugs and software glitches exist on newer Boeing aircraft.
The design is fairly robust and has been flying for over 15 years in the 737-900ER. What could have happened is improper installation, using wrong screws, etc.
Inspections and investigation will lead to answers. And that’s when passengers can worry or not. ( I’ve got my own theory on the plug being a poor engineering choice for a hull that has some flexing. ) I fear that like the number 13, this aircraft will be thought cursed.
Of course it’s not safe. But aren’t we overlooking the benefits? A lot of diversity and equity hires were involved and we eliminated structural racism in aircraft building. Can you really put a price on that?
As usual, an asinine comment from you.
Speaking of ass, why does your breath smell like it?
And why do gerbils run from you and that freak you live with?
New year, same old Aaron so sensitive about how abnormal and inferior he is that he has to lash out at people he doesn’t agree with. Again, YOU always start this stuff Fudge Packer.
Pure click-bait fear mongering article.
The MAX 9 has now been temporarily grounded twice in less than five years, not even the dreaded DC-10 or L-188 had that distinction. Combined with the slew of quality control and design failures with the plane (vertical stabilizer bolts, damaged rear pressure bulkheads, anti-ice nacelle overheating), the premise of this article is completely fair and reasonable.
“ Their actions, from the 787 battery issues, to third-party imposter parts, MCAS software issues, this loose bolt, and finally the incident that prompted the latest inquiry, have given reasonable cause of concern…”
How are third party imposter parts — I assume you mean the AOG engine scandal — Boeing’s fault? The improperly certified parts were aftermarket and used by both Airbus and Boeing customers.
And no, you don’t make a convincing argument for the MAX being unsafe. Clickbait.
@Jm – On the third-party imposter parts, yes I am referring to the AOG engine scandal. When you say “is it Boeing [or Airbus or Pratt & Whitney’s] fault?” the answer is yes and no. No, certainly Boeing wasn’t responsible for this nor for the engine manufacturer who accepted them. But the lack of spot checks or even the threat of them allowed that to happen. Is Costco responsible for putting out moldy cheese on its shelves? The manufacturer sold it as good and Costco relies on them to be truthful in their delivery and compliance. However, indirectly, Costco should spot check the product and ensure the right process is good for its customers. This is how I believe, it extends to Boeing. If the product is bad and it causes the entire plane to be grounded and flights cancelled, isn’t it in part the fault of those who validate and hire the end-vendor to make and assemble the product? For me, the answer is yes.
As to the last line, I think you misunderstood the purpose of the post and came into it with a preconceived notion. I conclude that the aircraft is likely safer because of these incidents rather than it being unsafe at all. Asking if it is safe to fly is something being done across the world right now, and that’s reasonable, but you’re assertion that it was my aim to create a convincing argument that it is unsafe, was your assumption and it was incorrect. It’s not clickbait at all, you decided what it would be before you read it, didn’t finish it, and then decided that there was an angle that there wasn’t.
You hold Boeing responsible, when it’s the AIRLINES who determine who services engines and when??? Your Costco analogy makes no sense because Boeing never installed the falsely certified parts — they are AFTER market, as I understand, so it was the airlines/engine makers/maintenance that used those illegal parts. It’s not Boeing’s responsibility to forever keep track of every engine on every Boeing plane — that’s ludicrous.
Unless you have other relevant insightful info and until the investigation reveals more, I stand by comments. And yes I (regretfully) read the post and my mind IS made up — you’re wrong.
Well, they keep saying after x issue is resolved, it’ll be among the safest planes in the skies. Trouble is, a new, unrelated issue then pops up. Makes you wonder what’s next.
100% safe. Period.
Certainly safer than some vaccine a clown above was pushing.
Did the 737 kill over a million Americans? No but Covid did.
The 737 exit plug has 4 bolts holding it. Maybe it’s time to have 6 rivets?
Where’s the caution about the 737-900ER which has the same plug? My guess is that it’s a quality control problem in that the recent planes got the wrong sized bolts and that they should look at the 737-900ER during major checks. The last -900ER was delivered in 2019.
Perspectives on safety….
The most risky things that cause early death are
1. Heart disease – can be significantly reduced by diet along with medication
2. Cancer – can be significantly reduced by not smoking, mammograms, being alert for early signs
3. COVID-19 – can be significantly reduced by up to date vaccination and proper fitting mask wearing
4. COPD and emphysema and smoking related lung problems – can be significantly reduced by not smoking
5. Accidental opioid overdose – can be eliminated by not taking drugs
6. Gunshot wound
7. Suicide
8. Car accident
9. Fall
10. Hit by car or bicycle
11. Motorcycle accident
12. Drowning
13. Fire
14. Choke on food
15. Bike accident
16. Heat related illness
17. Electrocution or freezing to death (odd that they are combined)
18. Storm
19. Stabbing
20. Burns
21. Dog bite
22. Bee sting
Airplane crashes or sucked out of an airplane is not in the top 25.
An accident or death is a random event. You can’t predict how or when you are going to die, or anything happening to you, even though some of these top 10 or 20 causes are more likely to happen…
Yes, the MAX is safe. There hasn’t been a hull loss since the two incidents. This is something you can’t say about the A350. And I’m up to date on my COVID vaccine. You can get incredibly sick. I won’t.
I don’t like how people are putting this as a fault of Boeing 100% right off the bat due the circumstances around how the plug door is treated by AS and what stuff was done right after delivery of the plane. I take this to be akin to someone making a custom change to a car upon delivery, then that car having some issue or incident, but everyone immediately pinning the issue on the car maker.
Of course I understand Boeing’s past doesn’t instill confidence either, and this very well may turn out to be an issue on Boeing’s part or something that was more directly under their purview.. However all people are doing are stoking outrage. Let the investigation play out, be cautious of course (especially since we want to be better safe than sorry), but we shouldn’t be saying “guilty 100%!”
If this is a production / quality control problem, than in the last 12 months this model will have experienced improperly attached vertical stabilizers, rear pressure bulkheads with incorrect holes drilled into them, the discovery that the engine anti-ice system can cause the nacelles to fail (potentially delaying certification of it’s not-yet-certified sister models), and missing or improperly installed exit plug bolts. It is completely fair to question whether Boeing has control over its own operation.
Anything new has to go through trial and testing. And if you are in a MAX, you are actually testing it. Just like the old DC10, they were actually FLYING COFFINS.
Hey Kyle,
Just wanted to point out Copa doesn’t have a high capacity configuration on their MAX9 aircraft. The emergency exit is also plugged.
IMO, Boeing management should have served prison time and it’s a miscarriage of justice they haven’t. That being said… even the 737 Max with its issues is probably statistically safer than riding in a Toyota to the airport. I’m reminded of the opening scene in Superman where he rescues Lois Lane from a helicopter accident and says “I hope this doesn’t turn you off of flying. It’s still statistically the safest form of travel.”
I personally wouldn’t reschedule a flight if it’s on a 737 Max but I certainly would avoid the aircraft if it’s economically viable. Then again, I’m reminded of when I took a taxi cab in Ukraine and my wife and I were happy to get to the train station alive because the guy drove so quickly. My wife was breathing shallowly when we arrived. It was hilarious.
Risk is something we live with. To travel is to accept a spirit of adventure.
Commercial aviation is safe. General aviation is much more unsafe. Helicopters are not particularly safe
Travel writers should stick to writing about travel, not being armchair QBs on aircraft safety. Reinforcing his argument by relying on another third rate Netflix documentary further denigrates his “case”.
You by and large produce a very thoughtful and informative blog Matthew so please dont ruin it by letting half informed nitwits like this goat write in your space.
Would YOU know what variant of a 737 you were flying on unless you asked? Bear in mind many airlines fly 737NG and MAXs and even though the schedule may tell you it’s one or the other days of aircraft substitutions makes it virtually impossible to forecast what you will be on, especially for domestic US flights.
@Skedguy – Always good to meet a fan. You can dismiss the Netflix documentary if you like, but you can’t ignore the MCAS issues and the troubling findings before Congress demonstrating a reckless approach to safety and quality. It’s public record. Further, you’ll find I note that the aircraft is likely safer after this incident as a result, but you must have skipped past that or decided it didn’t fit your narrative. Informed travelers would absolutely know what variant they are flying, it’s listed in every itinerary I’ve ever seen. Would the average traveler have looked before this incident, probably not. Will they now? I’d argue that some will take note at least for some time.
Kyle,
You picked a good topic to discuss. The fact that there are many differing opinions on air safety is a healthy process and should lead to a reasonably good solution.
One would think that a “plug” (that has no or fewer moving parts) is conceptually more structurally sound than a functioning exit door. Lots of mechanical and electronic devices have plugs for future use and they are constructed very cheaply. Does the human nature of taking simpler things for granted play a role here?
It’s. Not. Safe. (never was)
I work as an aircraft mechanic at an airline with a lot of purple on them and we receive new aircraft in the form of 767’s among others every month. I have worked for other major airlines for decades when they received new Boeing aircraft. I can tell you without a doubt that the aircraft coming from Boeing these days are nowhere near the quality they were 20-25 years ago. There are routinely quality control failure and oversights. It has always been little things but they are still issues that shouldn’t exist on a new airframe.
There is one factor regarding the blown-out Alaska Airlines door that I haven’t seen explained in any of the news articles I’ve read. Aircraft cabin doors that are used for boarding, and for loading galley supplies, are plug-type doors that open by first rotating into the cabin before they can be pushed out and locked against the fuselage. Air pressure prevents the door from being opened inflight. The type of door that blew-out on the Alaska flight is virtually the same as those installed on the series 60 DC8s on which I worked as a flight attendant in the 1970s and 80s. My company called them ‘Jet Escape Doors’, and they were only ever to be opened in case of an emergency evacuation. These doors were not plug-type, in that they did not open by first moving into the cabin. If the handle cover was removed and the handle pulled down sharply, the door fell outward, inflating the evacuation slide automatically. The danger with these Jet Escape Doors is that they ‘could’ be opened inflight. (!) That is basically what happened to the Alaska door – except that it was not opened manually from inside the cabin, but for some as- yet-unknown reason, opened on its own.
It’s not the MAX per se, it’s the Boeing management that is unsafe. They gutted the engineering culture and this is the result. Issues are brushed under the rug and passengers are put at risk so the execs can pillage comp while there’s still a company
what about the jal crash does that make airbus unsafe?
what a dump of words