Boeing 737 Max 9

 



For this assignment I'd like to discuss the recent event where a Boeing 737 Max 9 lost a "plug" during flight from Oregon to California. The "plug" or "dummy door" if you will, is installed in unused door locations during manufacturing. The door completely separated from the plane at 16,000ft and of course this initiated an in flight emergency. The plane landed without any serious injuries.

“The trees broke the fall like an airbag would,” said Bob Sauer, a science teacher at Catlin Gabel School. “So, it didn’t hit the ground very hard.”

Yea that's right, if the event itself isn't embarrassing enough, Bob found the door in his yard. 





Given my Airforce and civilian experience in aviation maintenance, my first impression of this event is purely second hand embarrassment. It's hard to imagine how terrified the passengers must have been on this flight.  

For the purpose of this assignment and as far as ethics goes, I thought I'd use my imagination a bit. There's a few possibilities to consider for the cause of this. 

1. Was the door improperly or not fully installed during manufacturing or at some other point? 
   (CBS NEWS stated that United had found loose bolts on five others during investigation.) 

2. Could a passenger or several passengers over a course of flights inadvertently put too much stress on that door? (loose bolts on others are loose bolts on others)

3. Could there have been an error in the engineering process? 
(loose bolts on others are loose bolts on others)


The unfortunate truth about aviation is that a simple mistake or even just a bad day could end many lives. I personally learned early on in my career that doing the right thing and/or not doing the wrong thing can make you an unlikeable person, but in the end you have to do the right thing. 

Feel free to add possibilities or probable causes for this to happen. Thank you. 




REFERENCES

CBS NEWS, JAN 01 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4HTuUoAd_s

ABC NEWS, Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft under scrutiny after mid-air flight blowout, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-09/boeing-737-max-9-aircraft-under-scrutiny-after-mid-air-blowout/103299904

Foden-Vencil, K, 2024 Jan 08, Portland teacher recounts finding Boeing door plug in his yard, https://www.opb.org/article/2024/01/08/portland-teacher-recounts-finding-boeing-door-plug-in-yard/


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