Every day, thousands of travelers around the United States take to the skies flying commercial airlines. And it’s vital that those passengers feel safe and secure in the knowledge that they’ll reach their destinations with no mishaps.
Aviation accidents erode the trust the public has in air travel, and the federal government takes them extremely seriously. The recent incident involving a Boeing 737 Max is prompting a full and thorough investigation from the FAA.
The nature of the incident
In the early morning of January 2024, an incident occurred wherein a Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft, departing from Oregon en route to California, experienced the detachment of a door from the fuselage during mid-flight. Passengers reported hearing a loud noise at the time the door flew off, and passenger photographs corroborated the explanation for the aviation mishap.
Fortunately, the plane was able to make an emergency landing with no further mishap. None of the 174 passengers or any of the crew were injured.
The FAA response
The FAA acted immediately in the aftermath of the incident. All Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft were grounded pending an investigation into what caused the door to detach while the aircraft was in operation. This had a significant effect on commercial airline schedules, but the FAA deemed it necessary considering the seriousness of the incident.
The investigation will center on aircraft that are already in operation. But it’s possible that it will expand to Boeing’s production lines as well. The FAA has stressed that the speed of the investigation will take a back seat to thoroughness, meaning the timetable will depend on what investigators discover.
Boeing is fully cooperating with the FAA and NTSB and is conducting an internal review as well. Once the FAA has answers, authorities will determine the next steps.