Boeing CEO acknowledges ‘mistake,’ says midair blowout ‘can never happen again’

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun spoke out Tuesday about the recent midair blowout of a fuselage panel on one of the company’s planes, calling the incident a “mistake” that “can never happen again.”

“We’re going to approach this, No. 1, acknowledging our mistake with 100 percent and complete transparency every step of the way,” Calhoun said in an address with Boeing employees.

On Friday, an Alaska Airlines flight experienced an “explosive decompression” when a fuselage panel on the Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft blew off minutes after departing from Portland, Ore.

The blowout left a hole in the side of the aircraft and forced pilots to make an emergency landing back at Portland International Airport. The plane was supposed to travel to Ontario, Calif.

No injuries were reported.

The emergency prompted widespread calls for a full review of the incident and the Boeing model.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered the temporary grounding of the approximately 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft operated by U.S. airlines or in U.S. territory Saturday to allow for full safety inspections.

Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said earlier this week that a warning light for a pressurization problem with the plane that suffered the door plug blowout Friday lit up on three previous flights, two last week and one in early December.

Calhoun said Tuesday that Boeing will work with the NTSB on investigating the incident to determine a “root cause.”

“I have a long experience with this group. They’re as good as it gets,” he said. “I trust every step they’ll take, and they will get a conclusion.”

He said the FAA will also be ensuring procedures are put in place and all readiness actions are taken “to ensure every next airplane that moves into the sky is in fact saved and that this event can never happen again.”

The grounding of the dozens of Boeing aircraft has caused hundreds of flight cancellations and Boeing stock to slide.