Alaska Airlines flight forced to make an emergency landing... 82

[JohnRBaker]

This was a close call...

Alaska Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Window Blows Out Mid-Air

A photo sent to Oregon's KATU-TV shows a gaping hole in the side of the airplane next to passenger seats.

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/alas...g-window-blows-out_n_6598d80ee4b0f9f6621cc573

An excerpt from the above item:

An Alaska Airlines flight made an emergency landing in Oregon on Friday after a window and chunk of its fuselage blew out in mid-air, media reports said.

A passenger sent KATU-TV a photo showing a gaping hole in the side of the airplane next to passenger seats. It was not immediately clear if anyone was injured.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[Sym P. le]

From PPRuNe, apparently the panel that blew out is typically an emergency exit though Alaskan doesn't require it so it's plugged. I guess that didn't work well.

 

[3DDave]

It was an optional emergency exit that the airline chose not to fully outfit. The door left the airplane and the interior cover to conceal it went with it. I expect affected planes will already be scheduled to be out of service to check that door ahead of the FAA telling them to do so.

 

[LittleInch]

Really big hole. Very lucky no one or a flight attendant didn't get sucked out.

Keep your seatbelt on at all times!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-67899564

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Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[Comcokid]

davidbeach in thread thread815-515237 posted this link:
The Oregonian

According to the article, the 737-9 was new - just 2 months old. Brings up the questions. Had that door been properly latched/secured before the interior panel was placed over it? Or, is it some other kind of failure?

 

[LittleInch]

The door is appently normally hinged at the bottom and secured with lugs and an opening mechanism.

If not used the door is still there and just sealed closed and then covered on the inside like any other seat.

Going to be really interesting to see what comes from this.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

it will be a production quality issue.

They are already having to check certain bolts world wide which apparently are not installed properly.

 

[dik]

and from the BBC... Boeing is looking into... I feel safer already. As I noted earlier, I'm glad it was only at 16,000 feet. This was a lucky outcome; at 50,000 37,000 feet, it could have been a little different.

"The Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 turned back minutes into its flight to California after an outer section, including a window, fell off on Friday.

There were 177 passengers and crew on board and it landed safely in Portland.

The airline said it would temporarily ground all 65 of its 737 Max 9 aircraft to conduct inspections.

Boeing said it was aware of the incident and was "working to gather more information"."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67899564

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

I can't see them having a plug door in there without hinges and covered up...

Those things are heavy.

 

[TugboatEng]

Can a 737 even get to 50,000 feet?

 

[MJCronin]

Tugboat .... This source indicates that max altitude for Boeing 737s is 41,000 ft ...

Optimal altiude for economy is around 37,000 ft

https://www.sheffield.com/2022/what... altitude for,altitude is around 37,000 feet.

MJCronin
Sr. Process Engineer

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

Not with pax on board.

Think they used to be 37k and the NG 41k.

This is a certification limit. They can go higher depending on the temperature and a few other variables.

Biz jets go up to 50k it's one there selling points above everything else so they can go direct.

Think the old 747 types went higher but the radiation dose goes through the roof.

 

[LittleInch]

It's not a plug door apparently.

But looking closer it seems the ENTIRE door frame fell off. Below is apparently one of these doors before being covered up. See the two lugs on the top.

Then look at what was left.

So it looks very bad if the whole door frame decided to part company.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[3DDave]

Everything that is permanently attached to the aircraft remained attached. The door pulls in slightly and then slides up to un-align the pins before hinging outward in normal operation.

 

[LittleInch]

3D Dave.

Look closer. The door frame is missing.

All max 9s now grounded in the US.

Now it might have just been ripped out after the door opened and got ripped off in the wind, but it's not just the door which has gone as far as I can see.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[dik]

my error... didn't know that. When I've been flying that altitude is about 50,000... I guess not 737s.

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[3DDave]

Littleinch,

The frame you are looking at is part of the door.

 

[waross]

It looks as if Boing is still suffering with too much MBA oversight on engineering and quality control.
Is the 737 Max becoming the Corvair of the sky?

Unsafe at any speed!

--------------------
Ohm's law
Not just a good idea;
It's the LAW!

 

[3DDave]

See

https://youtu.be/nw4eQGAmXQ0?t=112

 

[LittleInch]

Fair enough 3D,

Its the colour that got me.

Still don't understand how it can just pop off though...

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.