At least 40 Boeing 737 Max 9 jets have been inspected so far in the Biden administration’s probe into the aircraft, after a plane lost part of its fuselage mid-flight earlier this month and was forced to make an emergency landing, officials said Wednesday.
Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told the Senate Commerce Committee it will review information collected from the jets, all identical to the aircraft used in the Alaskan Airlines flight that experienced the blowout, before clearing the planes for passenger flights.
The agency confirmed the number in an emailed statement.
“All 737-9 MAX aircraft with door plugs will remain grounded pending the FAA’s review and final approval of an inspection and maintenance process that satisfies all FAA safety requirements,” the agency wrote. “Once the FAA approves an inspection and maintenance process, it will be required on every grounded 737-9 MAX prior to future operation.”
“The safety of the flying public, not speed, will determine the timeline for returning these aircraft to service,” they added.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy and FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker briefed members of the committee in a closed-door session for two hours Wednesday on the latest developments into federal investigations prompted by the incident.
Officials said the investigations were still in their early stages, The Associated Press reported.
“Nothing was said about penalties or enforcement, but when there is an end result, I have no doubt … that there will be consequences,” Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Ky.) told the AP after the meeting.
Moran added that the FAA would be focused “on the challenges that Boeing has faced over a longer period of time, of which this incident, this potential disaster, was only one component.”
The agency revealed earlier this week that it would be expanding its probe to include looking into Boeing’s manufacturing practices and production lines. The FAA’s investigation is focusing on whether Boeing followed standard quality-control measures while the NTSB is investigating the midair accident.
Homendy explained that the NTSB would be looking into how the fuselage was produced by Spirit Aerosystems and how the panel was installed on the Alaska Airlines plane, according to AP.
Alaska Airlines and United Airlines are the only airlines to use the Boeing 737 Max 9, which have all been grounded as the investigation continues. Passengers have filed two separate lawsuits against the airline and manufacturer, citing “trauma” and “distress.”
The Hill has reached out to Alaska Airlines and United Airlines for comment.
The Associated Press contributed.