Spirit Aero Made Part That Blew Out Of Boeing 737 Max 9 Jet

Aerospace supplier Spirit AeroSystems manufactured and initially installed the fuselage part on a brand-new Boeing 737 Max 9 jet that suffered a blowout last week.

Regulators grounded most Boeing 737 MAX 9s for safety checks after the eight-week-old Alaska Airlines plane, carrying 171 passengers and six crew, lost a door-replacement panel during a US flight before landing safely with a gaping hole on its side. I Photo: Alaska Airlines

However, Boeing also plays a key role in the usual completion process, according to sources reported by Valerie Insinna, Tim Hepher, and David Shepardson of Reuters.

Due to a complex, two-tier installation process, investigators are expected to examine whether any flaws occurred at Spirit's giant fuselage plant in Wichita, Kansas, or at the Boeing factory outside Seattle, the sources said.

Regulators grounded most Boeing 737 MAX 9s for safety checks after the eight-week-old Alaska Airlines plane, carrying 171 passengers and six crew, lost a door-replacement panel during a US flight before landing safely with a gaping hole on its side.

The 737 MAX 9, currently Boeing's largest single-aisle, seating up to 220 people, includes an optional extra door to allow for the approved number of evacuation paths whenever carriers opt to install the maximum number of seats.

However, most airlines using the jet have chosen a looser layout based on a smaller number of seats and do not need the surplus door, which adds weight and reduces flexibility in the cabin. Instead, the door is deactivated before delivery, using a "plug."

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