Claire Reid
Alaska Airlines has issued a fresh statement after one of its planes was left with a large hole in its side when a window blew out during a flight.
On Friday (5 January) an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 was forced to make an emergency landing after part of the fuselage and a window were blown out shortly after take-off.
See footage from the incident below:
The plane had taken off from Portland in Oregon at around 5.00pm local time and was heading to Ontario, California, but just minutes into the flight disaster struck.
A plug covering an unused exit door blew off the Boeing 737 Max 9 as it cruised about three miles over Oregon.
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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the lost door plug was found on Sunday near Portland, Oregon, in the back garden of a home.
Passenger Evan Smith told local broadcaster KATU: “You heard a big loud bang to the left rear. A whooshing sound and all the oxygen masks deployed instantly and everyone got those on.”
Fortunately, no-one was seriously hurt and the aircraft managed to land safely.
Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) made the decision to ground all 171 737 MAX 9 planes that are operated by US airlines.
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According to PA, Alaska has 64 other Max 9s, and United Airlines owns 79 of them. No other US airlines operate that model of the Boeing 737.
In its latest update, Alaska Airlines has said there are ‘initial reports’ of ‘loose hardware visible on some aircraft’.
The statement read: “We continue to wait for final documentation from Boeing and the FAA before we can begin the formal inspection process.
"As our maintenance technicians began preparing our 737-9 MAX fleet for inspections, they accessed the area in question.
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"Initial reports from our technicians indicate some loose hardware was visible on some aircraft.
“When we are able to proceed with the formal inspection process, all aircraft will be thoroughly inspected in accordance with detailed instructions provided by the FAA in consultation with Boeing.
“Any findings will be fully addressed in a matter that satisfies our safety standards and FAA compliance. The formal inspections will also require documenting all findings and those will be reported to the FAA. No aircraft will be returned to service until all of these steps are complete.
"The safety of these aircraft is our priority and we will take the time and steps necessary to ensure their airworthiness, in close partnership with the FAA.”