FAA Weighs Enhanced Inspections Over Structural Flaw in a 737

A U.S. aviation safety regulator is investigating a possible structural problem with Boeing Co.'s older 737 aircraft following an in-flight incident that caused a 12-inch rupture in the aluminum skin of a Southwest Airlines jet, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

The report said nobody was hurt on the Monday night flight, which was en route to Boise, Idaho, from Las Vegas.

The craft descended to a safe altitude and the pilots landed at their destination, according to the carrier and the Federal Aviation Administration. As the Journal reported, the plane’s cabin gradually lost pressure but it stabilized after pilots descended and no oxygen masks dropped.

Still, the FAA is said to be considering whether more-frequent inspections should be ordered to check the same part on similar 737 models. The Journal said that wouldn't affect Boeing's (BA) 737 MAX models, which are newer and are grounded worldwide over other safety issues.