U.S. authorities asked the public on Sunday to help find a panel that blew off a passenger airplane above Oregon, while Alaska Airlines grounded its 737-9 Max jets for a second time after federal officials indicated further maintenance might be required to assure it doesn’t happen again.
The door plug tore off the left side of a new Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 Max jet at 4.8 kilometres above ground on Friday, about six minutes after takeoff from Portland, Ore., en route to Ontario, Calif. Videos posted online by passengers showed a gaping hole where the panelled-over exit had been and passengers wearing oxygen masks.
Pilots turned