The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a new safety alert Sunday recommending airlines inspect the door plugs of a second Boeing jet, the 737-900ER.
The Boeing 737-900ER uses an “identical door plug design to the 737-9 MAX,” the FAA noted. The 737 Max 9 came under scrutiny after the panel detached from an Alaska Airlines flight after takeoff, causing a gaping hole in the side of the aircraft and forcing an emergency landing.
The FAA then grounded about 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft so they could undergo inspection.
On Sunday, the FAA recommended that airlines check the bolts on the 737-900ERs, noting that “some operators have conducted additional inspections on the 737-900ER mid-exit door plugs and have noted findings with bolts during the maintenance inspections.”
Specifically, the FAA recommended “a visual inspection to ensure the door plug is restrained from any movements through the two (2) upper guide track bolts and two (2) lower arrestor bolts.”
The FAA also recommended airlines conduct fuselage plug maintenance tasks “related to the 4 locations where a bolt/nut/pin installation is used to secure the door to the airframe, as soon as possible.”
“The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continues to evaluate data involving the mid-cabin door plug and will determine additional action as necessary,” the FAA wrote in its recommendation.
“We fully support the FAA and our customers in this action,” a Boeing spokesperson said in an email.