The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has announced details for its upcoming investigative hearing on the Boeing 737-9 MAX incident.
The two-day event, set for August 6-7 in Washington, will examine the in-flight blowout of a left mid exit door plug. This hearing is part of the ongoing investigation into the January 5 incident involving Alaska Airlines Flight 1282.
NTSB Hearing Background
Shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon, the Boeing aircraft operating flight 1282 experienced a rapid decompression when a door plug detached at about 16,000 feet.
Furthermore, the flight safely returned to Portland, with eight of the 177 people onboard reporting minor injuries.
The NTSB’s decision to hold this formal hearing underscores the gravity of the incident. It will gather sworn testimony from a range of key stakeholders.
This includes representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Spirit AeroSystems, and the International Association of Machinists.
The goal of the Board will be to piece together the sequence of events that led to this critical inflight incident.
Attorney Timothy A. Loranger Comments
Timothy A. Loranger, a Los Angeles-based aviation attorney and senior partner at Wisner Baum, plans to attend. Loranger, who represents seven Flight 1282 passengers in a lawsuit against Boeing, Spirit Aerosystems, and Alaska Airlines, shared his thoughts
Mr Loranger highlights the critical questions that need answering. “We need to understand how Boeing failed to ensure proper assembly and airworthiness of this plane.”
“The fact that four critical bolts were missing is known. But we’re still waiting for explanations from Boeing and its contractor on how such a significant oversight occurred.”
Loranger added, “I’m interested in how the NTSB will uncover the root cause of these failures. Where are the work logs and assembly videos? How did these go missing, especially given Boeing’s 2021 agreement to improve safety culture?”
He emphasized, “Ensuring product safety should be Boeing’s top priority and a core part of their culture.” Loranger pointedly asks, “How could this happen in light of the terms of the deferred prosecution agreement?”
This question cuts to the heart of whether Boeing has truly internalized the lessons from its past failures. It poses the question of whether systemic issues still persist within the company’s culture and processes.
Following the hearing, the NTSB will use the gathered information to complete its investigation. It will determine probable cause, and make safety recommendations. The full investigation is expected to take 12-18 months from the accident date.
Looking Ahead
As the NTSB works towards completing its full 737 MAX investigation over the next 12-18 months, the insights gained from this hearing will be crucial.
The Board’s findings and recommendations will likely shape the future of aviation safety protocols and could potentially lead to significant changes in how commercial aircraft are manufactured and certified.
For Boeing, this hearing is an opportunity to demonstrate a genuine commitment to safety and to rebuild trust with airlines, regulators, and the flying public. It will be watched with interest, to see if the US manufacturing giant can rise to the challenge and emerge as a stronger, safer company.
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