The US Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the dislodged door panel on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX and is interviewing those involved.
The Wall Street Journal on March 9 quoted sources familiar with the situation as saying that investigators from the US Department of Justice had contacted a number of passengers and crew members on Alaska Airlines flight number 1282 on January 5.
"The Justice Department's investigation is a normal course of action in such cases. We are cooperating fully and believe we are not a target of the investigation," an Alaska Airlines spokesperson said.
The door seal was blown off on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft during the incident on January 5. Photo: Reuters
Not all investigations will result in criminal charges, the sources stressed, but Boeing could face prosecution for defrauding the government if it is found to have violated the terms of the 2021 settlement. US authorities could also extend the three-year probation agreement, which requires Boeing to continually report to the Justice Department on improvements in compliance.
The investigation team from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Office of Inspector General is also seeking to interview multiple Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials in the Seattle area who oversee Boeing's aircraft production line.
Boeing has not commented on the information.
On January 5, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 was on a routine flight from Oregon to California when part of the fuselage suddenly burst open, revealing a hole as large as an emergency exit. The cabin pressure dropped sharply, causing many belongings to be sucked out. The pilot quickly reduced altitude and made an emergency landing, all 177 people on board were safe.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released preliminary results of its investigation on February 6, saying that four screws that prevent the door seal from moving upward were missing before it disengaged from the locking gasket. The agency determined that the technician removed the screws while repairing another part but did not reinstall them before installing the interior panel.
Alaska Airlines conducted an internal inspection after the incident and discovered that many Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft had loose screws.
US officials also urged airlines to inspect the Boeing 737-900ER series of aircraft, which share the same door seal design as the 737 MAX. The FAA said some airlines had discovered “issues with screws” when inspecting door seals on the 737-900ER during maintenance.
Vu Anh (According to Wall Street Journal )
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