BOEING is facing a formal investigation into whether it made sure 737 Max 9 planes were 'in a condition for safe operation' after a cabin panel blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight, reports the UK's Guardian.
'This incident should have never happened, and it cannot happen again,' the Federal Aviation Administration said, announcing an investigation into whether the US planemaker 'failed to ensure' the jets complied with safety regulations.
The F grounded 171 737 Max 9 planes with plug doors over the weekend. 'The safety of the flying public, not speed' will determine how quickly they return to the skies, the F said.
This comes after a cabin panel blew out of a new Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9, shortly after it had taken off from Portland, Oregon, forcing an emergency landing. No serious injuries were reported.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said the company must acknowledge 'our mistake' while regulators examine the grounded planes.
Said Boeing: 'We will cooperate fully and transparently with the F and the National Transportation Safety Board on their investigations.'
The F notified Boeing that it had launched an investigation 'to determine if Boeing failed to ensure completed products conformed to its approved design and were in a condition for safe operation in compliance with F regulations'.
The company is now grappling with its biggest safety crisis since the crashes of two Max 8 jets, in 2018 and 2019, in which 346 people were killed. Its 737 Max jets were subsequently grounded across the world for almost two years.
Alaska and United said they had found loose parts on multiple grounded aircraft during preliminary checks, raising new concerns about how Boeing's bestselling jet is manufactured.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg declined to say when the F may allow the planes to resume flights, but said it would only happen when it was deemed safe to do so.
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'This incident should have never happened, and it cannot happen again,' the Federal Aviation Administration said, announcing an investigation into whether the US planemaker 'failed to ensure' the jets complied with safety regulations.
The F grounded 171 737 Max 9 planes with plug doors over the weekend. 'The safety of the flying public, not speed' will determine how quickly they return to the skies, the F said.
This comes after a cabin panel blew out of a new Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9, shortly after it had taken off from Portland, Oregon, forcing an emergency landing. No serious injuries were reported.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun said the company must acknowledge 'our mistake' while regulators examine the grounded planes.
Said Boeing: 'We will cooperate fully and transparently with the F and the National Transportation Safety Board on their investigations.'
The F notified Boeing that it had launched an investigation 'to determine if Boeing failed to ensure completed products conformed to its approved design and were in a condition for safe operation in compliance with F regulations'.
The company is now grappling with its biggest safety crisis since the crashes of two Max 8 jets, in 2018 and 2019, in which 346 people were killed. Its 737 Max jets were subsequently grounded across the world for almost two years.
Alaska and United said they had found loose parts on multiple grounded aircraft during preliminary checks, raising new concerns about how Boeing's bestselling jet is manufactured.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg declined to say when the F may allow the planes to resume flights, but said it would only happen when it was deemed safe to do so.
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