Pilot’s SOS as window blows out at 16,000ft
A COMMERCIAL airline pilot was forced to make an emergency landing after sudden depressurisation caused a window to blow out.
A dramatic recording reveals the Alaska Airlines pilot calling for help on the radio shortly after the Boeing 737 Max took off.
The plane was travelling from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, on Friday when a deactivated emergency door used as a regular cabin window blew out at 16,000ft. It depressurised the cabin, with the force of the air ripping the shirt off a young boy, whose mother was seen holding on to him in video footage taken by other passengers. Some of their phones were sucked out.
Miraculously, no injuries were reported on the plane, which had rolled off the assembly line in November last year. Boeing, Alaska Airlines and the National Transportation Safety Board have all launched investigations.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it had ordered the grounding of 117 Boeing 737 Max-9 aircraft after the incident.
The mayday call from the cockpit to air traffic control stated: ‘We need a divert. We’ve declared an emergency. We are depressurised. We have 177 passengers on board.’
Many reported a ‘really loud boom’ before the emergency landing in Portland 40 minutes later.
Passenger Elizabeth, 20, told how ‘it sounded like your ears were popping like normally on a plane, but ten times louder. I couldn’t believe it was real. We were all calm but I did feel like I was about to cry because, who knows, this could be my last few moments.’
Reports suggest that the seat next to the blown-out window was not occupied. Alaska Airlines chief executive Ben Minicucci said precautionary maintenance and safety inspections would take place on the company’s 65 Max-9 planes.
Boeing said: ‘We are working to gather more information and are in contact with our airline customer.’
Last week, Boeing said it was urging airlines to inspect all 737 Max planes for a possible loose bolt in the rudder control system.