Investigators Probe Imperiled Alaska Airlines Flight Without Key Audio Evidence
Investigators looking into the harrowing midflight blowout of an Alaska Airlines plane on January 5 are facing a major setback. The audio data from the flight’s black box cockpit voice recorder, a crucial piece of evidence for determining the cause of the incident, has been completely overwritten. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the cockpit voice recorder captured nothing due to the limitations of the current Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) regulations, which require the device to record only two hours of audio. The Alaska Airlines flight, carrying 171 passengers, was forced to make an emergency landing at Portland International Airport in Oregon after a plug covering an unused exit door became dislodged, causing a gaping hole mid-flight. Luckily, no one on board was injured, and the 63-pound door plug was later found in a Portland resident’s backyard.
Addressing the issue at a press conference, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy expressed her frustration, revealing that this incident was not an isolated one. Over the past six years, the NTSB has investigated 10 near-misses involving commercial flights where the flight recorder had been overwritten. Homendy stressed the urgency of increasing the black box recording threshold from two hours to 25 hours, a proposal the NTSB has been advocating since 2018. While the FAA announced a new proposed rule in November 2021 that would require cockpit voice recorders to capture 25 hours of audio, it would only apply to newly manufactured aircraft and not retroactively to existing planes.
The lack of audio evidence from the black box presents a significant challenge for investigators striving to accurately pinpoint what occurred during the flight. Homendy emphasized the critical role of cockpit voice recorders in improving aviation safety and called on the FAA to revise its proposed rule to retrofit existing aircraft with the capability to record for 25 hours. If the FAA does not take action, the NTSB hopes that Congress will address the issue in the FAA reauthorization bill.
In response to Friday’s incident, all Boeing 737 MAX 9 jetliners operated by Alaska Airlines and United Airlines were temporarily grounded as the FAA initiated inspections for each aircraft. This led to hundreds of flight cancellations over the weekend. While 18 of Alaska Airlines’ 65 affected planes were allowed back into service on Saturday, they were swiftly withdrawn again on Sunday after the FAA notified the airline of the need for further maintenance.
It is worth noting that the Boeing 737 MAX planes faced a global grounding from March 2019 to November 2020 following two fatal crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, resulting in the deaths of 346 individuals. In 2021, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines also had to ground 64 of their 737 MAX planes due to electrical system issues.
The incident involving Alaska Airlines flight 1282 highlights the pressing need to enhance recording capabilities and prevent crucial audio data from being overwritten. As investigators work to determine the cause of the midflight blowout, the aviation industry is grappling with the challenges of maintaining safety standards and avoiding potential catastrophes.
