Alaska Airlines flight makes emergency landing after window blows out

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U.S. airlines, fed up forced change in the Boeing C-suite

The CEOs of American, United, Alaska, and Southwest airlines skipped the Boeing CEO and went directly to the board of directors to request a meeting about Boeing’s future. They are the biggest Boeing operators in the U.S. It’s an interesting article.

The Air Show - Boeing Episode
Jon Ostrower (author of the article linked above) gives a bit more info on this podcast.
 
WASHINGTON, April 7 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Sunday said it would investigate after an engine cowling on a Southwest Airlines (LUV.N), opens new tab Boeing 737-800 fell off during takeoff in Denver and struck the wing flap.

Southwest Flight 3695 returned safely to Denver International airport around 8:15 a.m. local time on Sunday and was towed to the gate. The Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab aircraft with 135 passengers and six crew members aboard had been headed to William P. Hobby Airport in Houston.

No one was injured.

Southwest said it was flying passengers on another plane to Houston approximately three hours behind schedule. Southwest said maintenance teams are reviewing the aircraft.
The plane entered service in June 2015, according to FAA records. Boeing referred questions to Southwest for information about the airline's airplane and fleet operations.
The airline declined to say when the plane's engine had last had maintenance.

 
www.ntd.com

Boeing Has Been Prioritizing Production Over Safety, FAA Chief Says

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Michael Whitaker said on Tuesday that his impression from a recent visit to Boeing’s facilities suggests there are issues within the aerospace giant’s safety culture. During an interview with NBC Nightly News, Mr. Whitaker said that the FAA’s audit and...
www.ntd.com www.ntd.com
 
And this: There Was Some Shady Stuff Going on With That Door Plug That Blew Out of the Boeing 737

From this article: In perhaps the most eyebrow-raising incident, Boeing workers failed to document the removal of the door plug's bolts, which was done to access the faulty rivets. Had an official "removal" process been undertaken, according to the WSJ, a quality assurance team would've double-checked the installation. This glaring omission stunned employees.

"CONDITION STILL EXIST. RIVETS WERE JUST PAINTED OVER," reads an almost comical entry six days after the issue was flagged.
 
LinasK said:
And this: There Was Some Shady Stuff Going on With That Door Plug That Blew Out of the Boeing 737

From this article: In perhaps the most eyebrow-raising incident, Boeing workers failed to document the removal of the door plug's bolts, which was done to access the faulty rivets. Had an official "removal" process been undertaken, according to the WSJ, a quality assurance team would've double-checked the installation. This glaring omission stunned employees.

"CONDITION STILL EXIST. RIVETS WERE JUST PAINTED OVER," reads an almost comical entry six days after the issue was flagged.
Click to expand...
The more we learn about this door plug issue the stranger it gets. I guess that is why there is a criminal investigation going on. I can't imagine there was actual sabotage, but there sure seems to have been a LOT of misteps here
 
Boeing will be in the spotlight during back-to-back hearings Wednesday, as Congress examines allegations of major safety failures at the embattled aircraft manufacturer.

The first session will feature members of an expert panel that found serious flaws in Boeing's safety culture.

The main event will be a second hearing featuring a Boeing engineer who claims that sections of the skin on 787 Dreamliner jets are not properly fastened and could eventually break apart. The whistleblower's lawyer says Boeing has ignored the engineer's concerns and prevented him from talking to experts about fixing the defects.

The whistleblower, Sam Salehpour, sent documents to the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the quality and safety of Boeing's manufacturing.

Salehpour is scheduled to testify Wednesday before a Senate investigations subcommittee. Another Boeing whistleblower — Ed Pierson, a former manager on the Boeing 737 program — and two other aviation technical experts are also on the witness list.


www.nbcconnecticut.com

Boeing in the spotlight as Congress calls whistleblower to testify about defects in planes

The whistleblower sent documents to the Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the quality and safety of Boeing's manufacturing.
www.nbcconnecticut.com www.nbcconnecticut.com
 
https://www.reutersagency.com/en/li...rcom-article-media&utm_campaign=rcom-rcp-lead
WASHINGTON, April 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop advisory on Wednesday for Alaska Airlines (ALK.N), opens new tab, saying: "All Alaska mainline and subcarrier flights ground stopped."
In a separate statement, the FAA said the carrier "asked the FAA to pause the airline’s mainline departures nationwide." It did not provide a reason for the stoppage.
CNBC reported that the airline's system used to calculate weight and balance for flights was not functioning correctly.


 
UPDATE - Alaska Airlines says ground stop **now canceled** after resolving an issue with the system that calculates weight & balance on flights.
 
sds71 said:
https://www.reutersagency.com/en/li...rcom-article-media&utm_campaign=rcom-rcp-lead
WASHINGTON, April 17 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop advisory on Wednesday for Alaska Airlines (ALK.N), opens new tab, saying: "All Alaska mainline and subcarrier flights ground stopped."
In a separate statement, the FAA said the carrier "asked the FAA to pause the airline’s mainline departures nationwide." It did not provide a reason for the stoppage.
CNBC reported that the airline's system used to calculate weight and balance for flights was not functioning correctly.


Click to expand...
(bolded by me)

It's interesting that Alaska requested the FAA to issue the order. Surely they could have grounded their own planes without needing the feds to intervene.

I wonder if it's because an FAA-issued mandate means that they don't have to compensate passengers. But if that's the case, why did the FAA agree? They shouldn't be bailing out the airline from its own mistakes.
 
PrairieWind said:
The more we learn about this door plug issue the stranger it gets. I guess that is why there is a criminal investigation going on. I can't imagine there was actual sabotage, but there sure seems to have been a LOT of misteps here
Click to expand...

I am not thinking there is sabotage, but I am horrified to think of the consequences if there is one. Also, if some impaired assembly line worker is on the verge of being fired, he can do a lot of harm. Even with good safety control.
 
ch_13 said:
(bolded by me)

It's interesting that Alaska requested the FAA to issue the order. Surely they could have grounded their own planes without needing the feds to intervene.

I wonder if it's because an FAA-issued mandate means that they don't have to compensate passengers. But if that's the case, why did the FAA agree? They shouldn't be bailing out the airline from its own mistakes.
Click to expand...
I suspect the airlines are most likely required to notify the FAA of any potential safety issues. As a Boeing engineer for 34 years, that was a requirement for us (at least it was when I was there). LOL - Did I just admit that? LOL. IMO, the FAA may have then advised on a nationwide ground stop and the media took that and ran with it.
 
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