The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an official investigation into the air safety of the B-737 MAX 9 aircraft. This is a move that comes following the plane crash involving an aircraft of this model (marks N704AL) of American airline Alaska Airlines (flight AS1282), in which a panel positioned to cover the emergency door (plug door) exploded in flight.

In the 48 hours immediately following the accident, the FAA ordered the grounding of 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft equipped with the same panel (positioned in the event of non-use of the emergency door). A move decided while waiting for the safety inspections by the technicians to begin, which are now already well underway, so much so that some of the aircraft would be ready to return to service.

However, now the FAA, after talks with the manufacturer and with the airlines that have the Max 9 in their fleet (Alaska and United), wants to review Boeing's inspection and maintenance standards, before the skies authority gives the green light to the companies to start flying these aircraft again. The reason? "Additional discrepancies" (read loose bolts) found aboard at least two other planes.

On the same topic, see also the article published by AVIONEWS.