Preliminary NTSB Report Sheds Light on Alaska Airlines 737 Max Incident Linked to Production Issues

The National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) early findings on the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 incident last month have reignited discussions about Boeing 737 Max’s production line problems, anticipated by experts more than a year prior. The incident, involving the loss of a cabin door panel mid-flight, has drawn attention to the chaotic conditions at Boeing’s Renton, Washington facility as described by former Boeing mechanic Chris Lee on the Warning Bells podcast.

According to the NTSB’s preliminary report, the aircraft arrived from Spirit Aerosystems in August 2023 with pre-installed door plugs. Upon inspection, damaged rivets were discovered, necessitating repairs that involved removing the door plug. Subsequent documentation showed the bolts meant to secure the plug were missing, a detail captured in a photograph exchanged among Boeing team members, with the NTSB adding clarity to the situation with annotated blue circles indicating where bolts should have been but weren’t.

This sequence of events aligns with Lee’s predictions about production shortcuts and the risks of covering problems while awaiting parts or engineering support. The incident underscores longstanding concerns about Boeing’s push to expedite production at the expense of safety and quality control, a strategy criticized following two fatal crashes involving the Max 8 model.

The NTSB continues to investigate the documentation and authorization processes for the door repair, with insights pointing towards a systemic issue with Boeing’s quality assurance practices. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with reducing quality control measures, emphasizing the need for rigorous oversight and adherence to safety protocols in aircraft manufacturing.

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