New details of the alarming incident with the Boeing 737 Max Alaska Airlines: The airline was aware of the problems with the plane
The crew of the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 may have been aware that the aircraft might have problems. Recent investigations have shown that a warning light on board went off three times before the incident (a depressurization occurred during the flight and part of the fuselage flew off over Oregon).
According to the Associated Press, a federal official said the warning could have indicated a pressure problem. Because of this, the plane was not used for flights to Hawaii.
Allegedly, the airline deliberately restricted the use of the affected Boeing 737 Max 9 for long-haul flights over water as it would not have been able to make an emergency landing.
Jennifer Homendy, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, explained that the company was already aware of the problem, so it put the plane on a route where it could land if necessary.
The warning light reportedly came on during three other flights: December 7, January 3, and January 4.
The last time it happened was the day before the door broke off in midair. The incident that shook the entire aviation industry took place on January 5.
Footage of a Boeing 737 Max 9 landing without a part of the fuselage that had flown off during the flight was posted online. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured, but some passengers lost their belongings.