FAA Issues Temporary Grounding of Boeing 737 Max 9 Following Alaska Airlines Flight Incident

The flight from Oregon to California was forced to make an emergency landing due to an unspecified incident, resulting in the temporary grounding of Southwest Airlines’ entire fleet of Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft in response.

The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Saturday that it will be issuing a temporary grounding order for certain Boeing 737 Max 9 airplanes used by U.S. airlines. This decision comes in response to an incident in which a section of the cabin wall appeared to detach from an Alaska Airlines flight during midair. The FAA will also ground 737 Max 9 planes operating within U.S. territory, affecting approximately 171 out of 218 such aircraft worldwide.

FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker emphasized that safety is the primary consideration guiding their actions as they assist the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 incident. No serious injuries were reported, and the airplane safely returned to Portland International Airport. The FAA directive cites concerns about potential unsafe conditions that could arise from similar scenarios involving the same model of aircraft, prompting the immediate inspections prior to resuming flights.

Both Boeing and Alaska Airlines have expressed support for the FAA’s measures, with the former offering technical assistance for the investigation. Alaska Airlines has temporarily grounded all 65 of its affected 737 Max 9 aircraft for maintenance and inspection, while United has also suspended service on select Boeing 737 Max 9 planes to conduct necessary inspections.

Panama’s Copa Airlines also said it was complying with the order and temporarily suspending flights on the planes.

What Happened: Flight 1282

Flight 1282, originally en route to Ontario International Airport in San Bernardino County, California, was compelled to return to Portland, Oregon shortly after takeoff due to what the FAA has described as a pressurization issue reported by the crew. According to FlightAware, a flight tracking service, the aircraft departed from Portland at 5:07 p.m. and landed back at the same airport at 5:27 p.m. The circumstances surrounding the detachment of the panel from the passenger jet remain unclear. Alaska Airlines has confirmed that the plane was carrying 174 passengers and six crew members, characterizing the event as an “incident.”

A photo taken by a passenger aboard the flight captured an entire section of wall missing from the fuselage next to a row of seats. Passengers, including Kyle Rinker, took to social media to share their experiences, with one describing the jarring moment when “the wall of the plane just breaks off mid-flight.” Another passenger, identified only as Elizabeth, recounted hearing a loud noise approximately 20 minutes after departing from Portland’s airport, followed by the sudden deployment of air masks and the discovery of a large opening on the left side of the aircraft.

Despite the alarming situation, she noted that all passengers remained composed and securely fastened in their seats throughout the incident.