Boeing Mechanic on Vacation During Critical Period Before Alaska Airlines 737 Max Incident

A key Boeing mechanic, with 35 years of experience working on 737 doors, was on vacation during two crucial days leading up to a serious incident involving an Alaska Airlines 737 Max. This incident saw the aircraft lose a door plug while in flight, a situation exacerbated by the absence of the veteran mechanic, who was the only one typically assigned to work on such components.

The Seattle Times first reported on the details of this incident, which were later corroborated by transcripts from a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation. The mechanic, who has specialized in Boeing 737 doors since 1999, indicated in his interview with investigators that he was part of a roughly 20-person team but uniquely qualified to handle all door-related tasks.

The incident occurred on January 5, when an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max flying at an altitude of 16,000 feet lost a door plug—a fuselage panel that covers a deactivated emergency exit. This aircraft, only 66 days post-delivery from Boeing’s factory, was found to be missing crucial bolts intended to secure the door plug, according to the NTSB’s preliminary report.

The problematic door plug issue originated during the plane’s assembly at Spirit AeroSystems, before arriving at Boeing’s Renton, Washington facility for further work. There, it was discovered that the rivets near the door plug were damaged, necessitating the removal and replacement of the rivets.

Transcripts reveal that during the veteran mechanic’s absence, a trainee with just 17 months at Boeing and no prior technical experience—his previous employment being at fast food outlets like KFC and Taco Bell—took over the task. This inexperience likely contributed to the subsequent mishandling of the door plug.

The replacement of the door plug was handled by another employee, not the trainee, but the mechanic interviewed expressed concern that the person tasked with this job was not properly acquainted with the procedures. Furthermore, there was no record of the door plug being opened and closed in the system, which meant that no quality inspection took place following the work.

The interview transcripts also highlighted the high pressure and frequent managerial changes within Boeing’s Renton factory door team. Over the past three years, the veteran mechanic noted he had worked under approximately 15 different managers, pointing to a potentially chaotic and unstable work environment.

At the conclusion of his interview, the mechanic expressed confusion over why his shop wasn’t contacted to manage the door plug operation, noting that he would typically be asked to handle such tasks.

Boeing has yet to respond to inquiries regarding the incident and the findings of the NTSB investigation. The incident underscores significant concerns about operational practices and personnel management at Boeing’s facilities, particularly during periods when experienced personnel are unavailable.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, yahoo.com