You may have already seen this NTSB report. I find it very interesting and informative, especially since I am not a pilot or professional in the business. It’s definitely premature on analysis.

quote:

Originally posted by uvahawk:

who at Boeing is inspecting parts and working with the supplier on subpar components.

If you're referring to things like fasteners, nuts, bolts, etc., every part, down to simple things like washers, has an aviation part number and is (supposed to be) traceable back to the manufacturer. The airplane documentation specifies the exact part number for everything, again, right down to the smallest nut, washer, cotter pin, etc.

And now Boeing "lost" the cockpit recording data on the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9, LOL

quote:

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chair Jennifer Homendy said cockpit recording data on the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet, which lost a fuselage panel that triggered a sudden decompression event near Portland on Friday, won't be retrieved because the data was erased.

On Sunday, Homendy told reporters that after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 made an emergency landing at Portland International Airport - the ground crew did not pull the circuit breaker on the cockpit voice recorder, or black box, to preserve the audio, which only holds two hours or data, as required by federal law.

"There was a lot going on, on the flight deck and on the plane. It's a very chaotic event. The circuit breaker for the CVR (cockpit voice recorder) was not pulled. The maintenance team went out to get it, but it was right at about the two-hour mark," Homendy said. She continued: "The cockpit voice recorder was completely overwritten. There was nothing on the cockpit voice recorder."

Alaska 737 Max Cockpit Data Erased After Mid-Flight Door Blowout

^^^^^^^



"You sumbitches couldn't close a umbrella."

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
And now Boeing "lost" the cockpit recording data on the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9, LOL...

I doubt that's on Boeing. "Ground crew" sounds like Alaska Airlines people, I doubt anyone from Boeing was there within two hours.

My airline had a procedure after an emergency to pull the CVR and FDR circuit breakers. I would guess somewhere in all the thousands of pages of manuals that Alaska has a similar instruction.

But not being something pilots review often, it is not something that would come immediately to mind. Especially since really in this situation there would be little to no value in CVR information. The door departed the airframe suddenly, and there was nothing the crew could have done. The CVR will only inform how the crew then dealt with the situation.

The door plug was found late last evening, by a schoolteacher named "Bob" (no last name given). NTSB has not released pics yet.

NBC News

Another development, the incident aircraft had been banned from over-water travel due to a pressurization warning light that lit on three previous flights.

Business Insider

My sister, who works for Alaskan (her husband, my BIL, works for Boeing), was messaging with me last night.

They were both quick to make the distinction that Spirit AeroSystems actually makes the fuselage for Boeing.
As I told her, Boeing's name is on the product/plane, most people simply aren't going to make any further connections...

It's Boeing, in Spirit only...

.

Those of you that desire in-depth information on the B-737 plug, I suggest you look at "The Boeing 737 Technical Channel" on YouTube: www.YouTube.com/@ChrisBrady737



Direct Link to YouTube video:
www.YouTube.com/watch?v=maLBGFYl9_o

Key items in the video about the door plug:
3:07 door plug vs actual emergency exit
3:45 plug has bottom hinge, opens outwards for maintenance / inspection
4:52 inside view
6:29 guide track
7:34 securing door plug. 4 bolts prevent vertical and outward movement
8:51 upper locking bolts. Note captive bolts.
9:47 lower locking bolts

.

^^^^^

blancolirio just gave an update and had sited that very channel.

When the door went off someone's cellphone was sucked out and found in Beaverton, Oregon. Wonder if AppleCare will cover the "repair" needed to get the phone operational?

Oooops.
United Airlines found loose bolts on the door plugs on several of its grounded 737 Max 9

CBS news


For the lack of a nail...
Or perhaps in this case, some locktite.

The exact plane had multiple pressurization warnings on prior flights. "Hmm... Should we do some checks on the ground, or just test in in flight?"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-67909417

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:
The door plug was found late last evening, by a schoolteacher named "Bob" (no last name given).

This was a couple of blocks from my house. I didn't realize just how close it had happened until this afternoon when I had to dodge the newsvultures with their cameras blocking the sidewalk as I was on my afternoon run.

^Oh wow. Did you happen to notice any weird bolts lying around?

I was pretty sure it was an issue with the locking bolts based on how clean the door frame remained. Either broken, loose, or never installed in the first place. Would this be a QC issue with the manufacturer, or airline's maintenance crew?

Schoolteacher Bob Sauer found the door in his backyard.

Door Plug by kpkina, on Flickr

This message has been edited. Last edited by: kkina,

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:
Would this be a QC issue with the manufacturer…

Yes. It is encumbant upon the manufacturer to adhere to ALL certification and airworthiness requirements. The customer’s maintenance team wouldn’t inspect these doors until scheduled checks are due after delivery.

I wonder if they found the kids shirt?

^^

I wonder how far the phones were found from where the door plug landed. New app: Find My Door(plug)

quote:

Originally posted by erj_pilot:

quote:

Originally posted by kkina:
Would this be a QC issue with the manufacturer…

Yes. It is incumbent upon the manufacturer to adhere to ALL certification and airworthiness requirements. The customer’s maintenance team wouldn’t inspect these doors until scheduled checks are due after delivery.

Yes. And given the aircraft a re "trimmed out" with interior, it would be a good while before such a periodic inspection would occur.

And my first thought is "never installed in the first place" as stated by Kkina.

(the top two "locking" hardware (bolts, washers, castellated nuts and cotter pins) that ensure the trunnions are "locks in" and not upward (and unseating) will occur.

Given, now there are reports of cabin pressure loss indications, that the company put this aircraft on "NO ETOPS" only flights, if it turns out the seal was not able to maintain function for that (and possibly the other ) plug, it becomes another hole in the cheese.

When will the (ops and MX folk) be permitted to hold down aircraft that present an unknown condition, rather than the bean counters and "management" that push tin?

The military, although not perfect by any means, does (or at least "did" when I was active in the game) permit those operating or maintaining to throw a red flag and stop the play.

And I recall folks who would put their career on top of that flag to hold it in place and make someone with a whole lotta brass, permit the aircraft to fly. (and it was a like a 9-1 ration that MX/Ops prevailed over that once in a blue moon over-ride).

In the military, we were about killing the other guy and breaking his toys, not our own.

Airline travel has become much safer over the years learning from errors and such, but that is being drastically eroded by the people who only care about profits and promotions to raise stocks for investments.

The wrong people are influencing and direction all too many things in the safe operation of airline travel, from manufacture to the guy that looses your luggage, and everything in between.

I perceive it will get worse, before it gets better.

(and there is a whole lot of loss and pain contained "worse and better")