Boeing's 6 Biggest Disasters This Year

Statistically, air travel is one of the safest forms of transportation. However, recently a number of airlines have shocked the public (and their passengers) by losing aircraft parts mid-flight - leaving many asking: “Is it really safe to fly?” Let’s recap six incidents in 2024 that will get your blood pumping!

1. Jan. 5: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9

Five days into 2024, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 lifted off from Portland, Oregon, with 171 passengers and six crew members aboard. Mid-flight en route to Ontario, Canada, suddenly a door plug exploded and blew a gaping hole in the side of the airplane. Due to rapid cabin depressurization, the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing.

In an extremely fortunate stroke of luck, no passengers were sitting immediately next to the blown door plug - that seat remained empty.

The Alaska Airlines incident led to the Federal Aviation Administration’s grounding of the Max 9 for weeks afterward and prompted an investigation. Later, investigators determined that the airplane had left the Boeing factory missing four key bolts necessary to hold the door plug in place.

2. Jan. 18: Atlas Air Boeing 747-8

Only two weeks later, an Atlas Air cargo plane experienced a mid-flight emergency on a Boeing 747-8. Bound for Puerto Rico, the aircraft had just departed from Miami International Airport with five crew members aboard when the pilot reported an engine fire. As the plane made an emergency landing, eyewitnesses reported seeing flames coming from the left wing. The plane landed safely, and no one was injured.

3. Jan. 23: Delta Air Lines Boeing 757

Five days later, yet another incident involving a Boeing aircraft occurred at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. As Delta Flight 982 began to taxi before takeoff to Bogota, Columbia, the tire from under the nose of the aircraft suddenly fell off and rolled off the runway. Fortunately, air traffic control noticed this incident before the plane lifted off and alerted the pilots. Passengers disembarked, along with their luggage, and Delta apologized and re-routed them to Bogota on another aircraft.

4. March 7: United Airlines Boeing 777-200

Flight UAL35 departed from San Francisco International Airport on its way to Kansai International Airport near Osaka, Japan. Almost immediately after takeoff, video captured a tire falling off the Boeing 777-200. The pilot requested an emergency landing at Los Angeles International Airport. After landing safely, United re-routed the passengers and issued a statement saying that the 777-200 is designed to land safely even with missing or damaged tires.

5. March 15: United Airlines Boeing 737-800

One week later, Flight 433 took off from San Francisco with 145 passengers and crew aboard. The flight to Medford, Oregon, proceeded as planned, with no in-flight emergencies. However, once the plane landed at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport, someone on the ground noticed one of the airplane’s exterior panels from under the wing had fallen off mid-flight.

6. April 7: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800

Several weeks later, Southwest Airlines Flight 3695 took off from Denver with 135 passengers and six crew members aboard. During takeoff, passengers and flight attendants suddenly heard a loud noise, as if something had hit the wing. Looking out the windows, crew members discovered the Boeing 737-800’s right engine cowling had ripped off and struck the wing. The pilots couldn’t see the damage themselves from the front of the aircraft, but immediately declared an emergency and returned safely to the airport 25 minutes after takeoff.

So, What Now?

Sparked by the Alaska Airlines incident, these six subsequent events have prompted intense investigations into aircraft maintenance practices and quality control - particularly directed at airplane manufacturer Boeing.

The FAA demanded that Boeing provide an action plan for addressing these issues at their core - and on May 30, 2024, Boeing complied by delivering a comprehensive plan. Even so, the FAA has vowed to continue to monitor Boeing’s compliance and safety protocol.

While these six incidents have certainly raised legitimate concerns among the public, it’s important to note that air travel still remains an extremely safe form of travel overall.

References: FBI tells Alaska Airlines passengers they may be ‘victim of a crime’ | NTSB says key bolts were missing from the door plug that blew off a Boeing 737 Max 9| Atlas Air Boeing 747 cargo plane makes emergency landing after engine fire | FAA investigating after Delta Boeing plane loses front nose wheel before takeoff | Japan-bound United flight lands in L.A. after losing wheel during takeoff | United Airlines flight discovered to be missing external panel after landing safely in Oregon | Boeing submits improvement plans, but FAA isn’t done with oversight | List of 2024 Boeing Plane Incidents After Southwest Engine Part Falls Off | Falling parts and a ‘nosedive’: 6 probes involving Boeing planes this year | With all the recent headlines about panels and tires falling off planes, is flying safe? | Missing part of Alaska Airlines plane that blew off mid-flight is found in Portland man’s backyard, investigators say