22 January 2024
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN/NEXSTAR) – Just two weeks after the Federal Aviation Administration ordered the grounding of certain Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft due to a potential issue with the planes’ door plugs, the agency began asking airlines to inspect the door plugs on a slightly different model.
On Sunday, the FAA recommended that carriers operating the Boeing 737-900ER should “visually inspect mid-exit door plugs to ensure the door is properly secured” and to do it “as soon as possible.”
The 737-900ER, while not a MAX model like the Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft, which lost a door plugin mid-flight on Jan. 5, has “an identical door plug design” to that aircraft, according to a Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) issued by the FAA.
The SAFO further noted that some operators had “noted findings with bolts” on the 737-900ER during maintenance.
“Operators are encouraged to conduct a visual inspection to ensure the door plug is restrained from any movements through the two (2) upper guide track bolts and two (2) lower arrestor bolts,” the SAFO reads, in part, under the “Recommended Action” section.
Boeing, in an emailed statement to Nexstar, said it would “fully support the FAA and our customers in this action.”
The FAA, however, has not ordered the grounding of Boeing 737-900ER aircraft.
The same can’t be said for the Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft. The FAA had previously ordered all models with door plugs in the back of the cabin to be taken out of service for inspections. The directive came after the door plug on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines blew off the fuselage during a flight on Jan. 5, leaving a hole in the side of the plane and forcing an emergency landing at Portland International Airport.
Alaska and United, which are the only two U.S. carriers with Boeing 737 MAX 9 jets in their fleet, soon began inspections of the grounded aircraft.
As for the Boeing 737-900ER, there are three major U.S. airlines with the aircraft currently in their fleet: Alaska, Delta and United.
Alaska Airlines, in a statement shared with Nexstar, said it began inspections of the 737-900ER “several days ago” and has not found any issue with the jets in its fleet. United added that proactive inspections began “last week,” according to a spokesperson. A representative for Delta, meanwhile, told the Associated Press that the carrier was carrying out the recommended checks too.
All three carriers said they expected to finish inspections of the 737-900ER with no disruption to their flight schedules.
“We are appreciative of our highly skilled maintenance and engineering team for their diligence and commitment to safety and reliability,” a spokesperson for Alaska Airlines said.