FAA Tells Boeing to Revise Its Guide for Airlines’ 737 Max 9 Door Plug Inspections

Boeing must adjust its “initial version” of instructions for how airlines should inspect their grounded Boeing 737-9 aircraft, U.S. regulators said Tuesday in a statement that suggested the aircraft may not be ready to fly within mere days.

Boeing submitted guidelines to the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday for review before they go to carriers, including United and Alaska, for how to inspect and address any issues with their “door plugs” on the 737s. Those instructions are being received in light of “feedback” on their content, the FAA said. 

“Upon receiving the revised version of instructions from Boeing the FAA will conduct a thorough review,” the agency said in a statement. “The safety of the flying public, not speed, will determine the timeline for returning the Boeing 737-9 Max to service.” 

The FAA ordered more than 170 Boeing 737-9 aircraft grounded on Saturday following an incident the previous evening in which the plug was expelled from a 737-9 during a departure from Portland, Oregon. The door plug was later recovered by the National Transportation Safety Board and is being analyzed for possible defects.

No one was seriously injured in the incident at 16,000 feet, but within hours Alaska had decided to ground its 65 Boeing 737-9s as a precaution. The Seattle-based airline had initially estimated that the aircraft inspections would take only days to complete, allowing the planes to get back flying.

In a statement late Monday, Boeing said it was “committed to ensuring every Boeing airplane meets design specifications and the highest safety and quality standards. We regret the impact this has had on our customers and their passengers.”

United, the largest operator of the 737 model, has parked its 79 jets pending inspections. On Monday, both carriers said initial inspections of the plug had found loose bolts and other parts.

Boeing shares dipped 1.4% Tuesday afternoon after an 8% decline the previous day.