Boeing under scrutiny as report says Alaska Airlines 737 Max was missing bolts

FAA chief urges employees to report safety concerns on whistleblower hotline

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The U.S.  National Transportation Safety Board has released preliminary findings of its investigation into the door panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight in January. (NTSB/Handout via Reuters)

NISHANT ANNU, Nikkei staff writer

WASHINGTON -- Bolts were missing from a door panel that blew out of a Boeing 737 Max jetliner during a flight last month, according to preliminary findings published Tuesday by a U.S. regulator as the head of the country's air safety agency promised closer aircraft inspections.

Four bolts that prevent upward movement of the mid-exit door (MED) door plug "were missing before the MED plug moved upward off the stop pads" in the incident on Alaska Airlines flight 1282 on Jan. 5, the National Transportation Safety Board said in its report.

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