A terrifying accident at an altitude of 16000 feet (4800 meters), where the cabin door disappeared and the cabin suddenly lost pressure, is once again turning Boeing into a storm. As its best-selling MAX aircraft model awaits regulatory approval and certification, Boeing is once again coming to the global spotlight with a "disheveled" image, raising questions about whether the company can deliver high-quality products while striving to improve aircraft production speed.
The abnormal takeoff accident of Boeing 737MAX9 occurred on January 5th. At that time, a Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft operated by Alaska Airlines in the United States experienced a fuselage rupture in mid air shortly after takeoff, with one of the cabin doors missing and a hole as large as the door appearing on the side of the aircraft. Subsequently, the plane made an emergency landing and returned to Portland Airport.
This aviation accident, which has attracted global attention, although did not cause serious casualties, quickly caught the attention of aviation regulatory agencies in various countries.
On January 7th local time, the Federal Aviation Administration of the United States issued a statement stating that 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft that had been grounded on Saturday will continue to be grounded until the agency confirms that the aircraft is in a safe state. Some non US airlines, such as Panama Airlines and Mexico Airlines, have also stated that they will temporarily suspend 737 MAX 9 aircraft for necessary inspections.
Boeing expressed support for the above decision, stating that safety remains its "top priority". The executives of this aircraft manufacturer maintain close contact with the affected airlines over the weekend. The company hopes to ensure to customers and investors that the issue has been brought under control. Boeing will hold an online live broadcast on Tuesday to discuss its response to the security incident.
Although the investigation into this incident has only just begun, industry observers say it has raised more doubts about Boeing's manufacturing quality.
Trust crisis further breeds
Industry insiders have stated that the seemingly insignificant issues on their own seem to be more concerning overall, especially under the shadow of previous "devastating" design flaws in Boeing MAX aircraft. These defects have caused two fatal plane crashes in the past five years and led to the grounding of the 737 Max model worldwide.
In October 2018 and March 2019, there were air accidents on the flights of Lion Air Indonesia and Ethiopian Airlines, resulting in a total of 346 deaths. The planes involved in the accidents were both Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The Boeing 737 MAX aircraft was subsequently grounded in multiple countries and regions around the world for nearly two years. Since the grounding of relevant aircraft models in March 2019, Boeing's stock price has fallen by more than 40%, while Airbus's stock price has risen by 25%.
The aircraft involved in the Alaska Airlines accident was the 737 MAX 9, an extended version of the 737 Max 8.
Experts say that although it is still too early to determine the cause of the accident, if production issues are the root cause of the MAX 9 hatch detachment, the investigation may reignite the debate over Boeing aircraft quality issues.
Former US air crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti said, "People will ask, how many more production defects and quality issues do you (Boeing) need to go through before truly considering how to carefully inspect the entire process and solve all problems?"
It is worth mentioning that although Boeing's situation had improved compared to four years ago when Dave Calhoun first became the CEO of the company before the accident, its recent production problems continue to emerge.
Last month, Boeing requested airlines to check for loose bolts on the control Max rudder system, and earlier in 2023, drilling errors and improper fittings were also found on some jet aircraft. The company even encountered setbacks in its flagship project to build the next generation US presidential aircraft, Air Force One.
The current issue of cabin door detachment is even more unbelievable. Agency Partners analyst Nick Cunningham said, "This kind of malfunction should not occur on any aircraft, and it is even more unacceptable to occur on an aircraft that is only three months old. This makes the outside world even more aware that Boeing has forgotten how to manufacture airplanes."
Review of Other Boeing MAX Models Affected by Accidents
In recent years, Boeing has been under pressure to expand its MAX product portfolio to narrow the gap with its competitor Airbus. However, the latest accident may have dealt a blow to its series of expansion plans.
The tumultuous history of MAX aircraft has led to a comprehensive reform of aircraft regulation in the United States in 2020, and this incident with Alaska Airlines may prompt global regulatory agencies to take a stronger stance on other unresolved issues with Boeing MAX models.
Boeing has previously requested that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States grant safety regulatory exemptions to the MAX 7, the smallest model in the MAX family. The design of this aircraft model has always had a flaw - forcing pilots to limit the use of anti icing systems in dry environments, as this may cause the engine casing to overheat and break. The manufacturer hopes to obtain exemption as soon as possible while seeking technical solutions.
Former US air crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti stated that the MAX 7 is Boeing's next aircraft awaiting certification, and the regulatory agency's handling attitude will be the first clue to observe the impact of this incident. Guzzetti believes that the accident of MAX 9 may cause a dramatic change in the situation, leading it towards the direction of refusing exemptions.
In addition, Boeing's latest MAX 10 model with larger passenger capacity is also awaiting certification. The comprehensive implementation of MAX series aircraft models is crucial for helping Boeing stabilize or increase market share, and generating sufficient cash to safely survive the next decade. Analysts say that the delay in MAX 10 certification will particularly put pressure on Boeing's transition strategy from 2020 to 2030.
The Federal Aviation Administration of the United States has stated that safety factors will determine the "schedule" of ongoing certification projects, but has declined to comment further.
At present, airlines in Chinese Mainland have not received 737 MAX 9 aircraft, and 737 MAX 8 aircraft was grounded in China before. However, if this accident causes China to delay receiving the new delivery of Boeing 737 Max, it will also have a significant impact on Boeing.
China is an important market for Boeing. Since its grounding in 2019, Air China has not yet received a new Max aircraft, despite Boeing delivering a 787 aircraft to China last month.
In the past few months, industry insiders have believed that the possibility of China receiving new aircraft deliveries is heating up. But as Scott Hamilton, the head of consulting and news website Leeham News, pointed out, "Anything could lead to Chinese regulators changing their minds again."