Strong Winds Cause Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX Damage From Jetbridge In Portland
- Wind during a Maine storm pushed a jet bridge into a parked Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8, damaging the left-hand wing.
- Flightradar24 data shows two Southwest Airlines 737 MAX 8 aircraft are currently on the ground at PWM.
- The incident happened during 24-knot winds with gusts up to 46 knots.
During a major storm in Maine, wind pushed a jetbridge into the left-hand wing of a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8, which was parked at Portland International Jetport (PWM). The aircraft remains on the ground at PWM since the incident happened on January 10.
Storms passing through northeastern US
According to several local media outlets, including WABI, WGME, and WGAN, winds pushed the jetbridge into the Southwest Airlines aircraft at around 4:35 on January 10, with no crew or passengers onboard at the time. The leading edge of the left-hand wing, just near the split scimitar winglet of the Boeing 737 MAX 8, was damaged during the event.
Flightradar24 data showed that there are two Southwest Airlines 737 MAX 8 aircraft are currently on the ground at PWM, registered as N8792Q and N8794Q. However, the latter landed at the airport after operating flight WN 1749 between Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) and PWM on January 10, while the former has been at PWM since January 9. The aircraft also landed at the airport after operating flight WN 1749 a day prior, yet unlike N8794Q, it has no scheduled flights for the next few days, according to the flight tracking service’s records.
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In addition, the FR24 data showed that the meteorological aerodrome report (METAR) for the airport indicated 24-knot winds, with wind gusts up to 46 knots at 4:04 local time. Visibility was three statute miles (4.8 kilometers), with winds and wind gusts decreasing to 12 kts and 24 kts, respectively, at 4:59.
While the airline’s representative told the local media outlets that it had sent out a replacement aircraft to help passengers leave the airport, it was unclear how Southwest Airlines plans to repair the wing of the stranded Boeing 737 MAX 8. According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) airport master record for PWM, major airframe and engine service locations exist at the airport. According to the FAA, “minor airframe repairs are the repairs that can be performed by an Airframe and Powerplant mechanic (A&P),” while “major airframe repairs require the maintenance technician performing or inspecting the work to have an additional qualification as an Airworthiness Inspector (AI).”
Related
American Airlines Bombardier CRJ900 Slides Off Runway In Portland
The incident was caused by snowy conditions at the Maine airport, and all passegners remain unharmed.
Which carrier is PWM’s largest by market share?
According to the airport’s financial year (FY) report that ended on June 30, 2022, a total of 980,634 passengers boarded an aircraft in 2022, compared to 481,540 a year prior. Out of the 980,634, 163,664 travelers were traveling with Southwest Airlines, compared to 100,515, 121,759, and 79,717 passengers emplaning on Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and United Airlines flights, respectively.
However, including regional carriers, such as Endeavor Air, Envoy, and Republic Airlines, as well as others, the largest airline in terms of scheduled seats at PWM is American Airlines, with 19,119 seats in January 2024. Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines have 18,275 and 14,485 scheduled seats from the airport, respectively, during the same month.
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