United Airlines Another Boeing Issue ... Plane Loses Panel Mid-Flight

Published | Updated

Another day, another Boeing problem -- this time a United Airlines flight had a huge chunk of the plane ripped off in the air ... and, yikes.

The flight took off from San Francisco Friday afternoon and ultimately landed safely at its final destination in Oregon ... but once the aircraft arrived, it was discovered a panel near the bottom of the plane got torn off mid-flight, exposing the underbelly of the aircraft.

The photo of the damage -- taken after the 737 plane successfully landed -- is startling ... you can see the guts of the plane inside ... with a bunch of plane parts fully exposed.

You can also see where the panel itself broke off ... there's a clear tear in the material -- which, again, is alarming, to say the least ... especially with everything that's been going on with Boeing lately, and there's been a lot.

030724-united-airlines-wheel-kal 3/7/24
HEADS UP!

While reports say all passengers in this incident were safe -- it, unfortunately, marks the latest Boeing mishap to occur in a relatively short window. Remember, Boeing planes -- some of which have been on UA flights -- seem to be falling apart all over the world.

One plane lost a wheel last week, and another Boeing plane had flames shooting out of one of the turbine engines while up in the sky ... and had to make an emergency landing.

Of course, there's also the LATAM Boeing flight in Australia that briefly started to fall out of the air ... although, now, they seem to be suggesting that was user error.

010624_alaska_airlines-kal JANUARY 2024
TRYING TO REMAIN CALM

That doesn't make things much better though ... especially after a door blew off earlier this year on yet another Boeing plane. And let's not forget ... there's still this whole whistleblower saga going on.

Remember, John Barnett died this past week while in the middle of a retaliation lawsuit against Boeing -- this after he alleged they'd been cutting corners on safety measures for years. Cops say it appears he took his own life ... but his attorneys have been calling BS.

013024-john-barnett-kal JANUARY 2024
SHARP DECLINE IN QUALITY

Bottom line ... it's choppy waters for Boeing these days.

As for today, UA says ... "We’ll conduct a thorough examination of the plane and perform all the needed repairs before it returns to service. We’ll also conduct an investigation to better understand how this damage occurred." The FAA says it'll investigate too.

Boeing referred us to United, while also pointing out that the aircraft in question -- the 737-824 -- is a little over 25 years old.

Caída Del Boeing 787 Pudo deberse a un golpe de la azafata en la cabina

Published | Updated

Un inocente error de una integrante de la tripulación fue lo que probablemente causó la caída en picada del Boeing 787 Dreamliner y que hirió a decenas de pasajeros en un vuelo de LATAM esta semana. Esto, de acuerdo con un nuevo informe.

El Wall Street Journal dice que la evidencia preliminar apunta a un incidente en la cabina. Al parecer, cuando una asistente de vuelo estaba sirviendo la comida, accidentalmente golpeó un interruptor en el asiento del piloto, lo que habría causado la caída del avión.

El interruptor tiene una cubierta que busca evitar que sucedan este tipo de incidentes mientras el piloto está sentado, de acuerdo con el informe del WSJ, pero es evidente que algo salió mal, o se trata de un tremendo error del operador.

Como informamos, la aerolínea chilena estaba volando de Australia a Nueva Zelanda el lunes cuando sufrió una fuerte caída, que arrojó a varios pasajeros hacia el techo del avión. El piloto fue capaz de recuperar el control y todos aterrizaron en Auckland, pero 50 personas fueron tratadas por diversas lesiones que no ponían en peligro su vida.

Las autoridades sacaron las cajas negras del avión el martes para comenzar su investigación.

Lo realmente interesante es que, según los pasajeros, el piloto dijo que el panel de instrumentos de la cabina se había ido a negro repentinamente durante unos momentos mientras intentaba explicar qué había pasado.

Si el informe del WSJ es cierto, parece que el piloto no compartió toda la historia.

Boeing 787 Nosedive Report Flight Attendant Bumped Switch On Pilot's Seat

Published | Updated

An innocent flight crew mistake is likely what sent a Boeing 787 Dreamliner into a nosedive that injured dozens of passengers on a LATAM flight this week ... according to a new report.

The Wall Street Journal says the preliminary evidence points to an incident in the cockpit -- while serving a meal, a flight attendant accidentally bumped a switch on the pilot's motorized seat ... pushing it forward and sending the plane into the nosedive.

The switch has a cover that's supposed to prevent this kinda thing from happening while the pilot's seated, according to the WSJ report, but clearly something malfunctioned ... or it's a horrifying case of operator error.

As we reported, the Chile-based airliner was flying from Australia to New Zealand on Monday when it started plummeting, pinning several passengers to the cabin ceiling. The pilot was able to regain control and they landed in Auckland, where 50 people were treated for various non-life-threatening injuries.

Authorities took the black boxes off the plane on Tuesday to begin their investigation.

Here's what's really interesting -- according to passengers, the pilot said the cockpit instrument panel had suddenly gone black for a few moments as he tried to explain what went wrong.

If the WSJ report is accurate, it would appear the pilot didn't exactly share the full story.

UFC's Chito Vera Someone Broke Into My Home ... Legal Docs, Watches Stolen

Published

UFC star Marlon "Chito" Vera says his personal belongings were jacked from his home while he was in Miami for his title fight against Sean O'Malley ... and now he's on the hunt for the people responsible.

The Ecuadorian fighter went all five rounds with Suga at the Keseya Center on Saturday ... ultimately losing via unanimous decision.

But, it isn't the L in the Octagon that's got him pissed now ... 'cause he shared an image of his home forcefully broken into -- and he's vowing to find the culprits.

Vera provided more information on the matter on Wednesday ... saying he's working with authorities in hopes of getting to the bottom of it.

"Came back home to fill police reports and try to get all my legal documents & watches inside the safe that some piece of s*** stole from my house," Vera said. "First stop Italian consulate thanks for take care of us."

Despite the crappy situation, Vera added he knows everything will be okay ... and proceeded to send a message to his opponent.

"Who braid your hair @SugaSeanMMA you where grease to the bone I wonder how much gel they use ?" ... to which Sean replied, "Send pic of your face."

Sean did feel bad for Vera's home situation, though ... commenting his disapproval after the news broke.

"That's f***ed."

INCIDENTE DE ALASKA AIRLINES EL VIDEO DEL INCIDENTE DE LA VENTANA Ha sido borrado

Published

El video de Boeing que muestra exactamente quién trabajó en la puerta del 737 Max 9 que voló de un vuelo de Alaska Airlines ha sido borrado, y la NTSB cree que la compañía está tratando de ocultar la información.

La presidenta de la Junta Nacional de Seguridad del Transporte -Jennifer Homendy- le escribió una carta el miércoles al Comité de Comercio del Senado, diciendo que todavía no saben qué empleados de Boeing participaron en la reparación de la puerta. Habían solicitado la lista de nombres cuando el informe preliminar sobre la investigación reveló que la puerta no tenía pernos durante el susto en pleno vuelo el 5 de enero.

Homendy acusó a Boeing de obstruir su investigación, diciéndole a los senadores Maria Cantwell y Ted Cruz, "Todavía no tenemos ni idea de quién hizo el trabajo para abrir, reinstalar y cerrar el tapón de la puerta en el avión del accidente", y añadió: "Boeing nos ha informado de que son incapaces de encontrar los registros que documentan este trabajo".

Durante su testimonio ante el SCC a principios de este mes, Homendy aclaró que Boeing solo proporcionó una lista de empleados que informan al gerente de la tripulación de la puerta, pero no exactamente quién había trabajado en el tapón de la puerta en cuestión.

010624_alaska_airlines-kal JANUARY 2024
INTENTANDO MANTENER LA CALMA

En su carta, Homendy dice que luego se puso en contacto con el CEO de Boeing -Dave Calhoun- para obtener los nombres, pero él le informó que no podía proporcionar esa información, sosteniendo que Boeing no tenía registros de los trabajos realizados.

Homendy dice que la ausencia de esos nombres ha dado lugar a un bloqueo frustrante en la investigación de la NTSB, y aclara que no están buscando los nombres por razones punitivas, y salvaguardará las identidades de los empleados involucrados.

El avión Boeing tuvo que realizar un aterrizaje de emergencia en Portland después de que una de las ventanas de la cabina reventara, provocando una escena terrorífica en la que las pertenencias de los asustados pasajeros fueron succionadas.

El consejero delegado de Alaska Airlines, Ben Minicucci, anunció entonces que la compañía dejaría en tierra temporalmente su flota de 65 aviones Boeing 737-9 para someterlos a una inspección y mantenimiento exhaustivos como medida de precaución. A finales de mes, recibieron el visto bueno para reanudar los vuelos.

013024-john-barnett-kal JANUARY 2024
FUERTE DETERIORO DE LA CALIDAD

Sin embargo, el ex gerente de calidad de Boeing -John Barnett- estuvo en "TMZ Live" para dejar claro que no estaba de acuerdo con esa decisión, porque afirmó que Boeing estaba ignorando temas de seguridad importantes.

Barnett incluso llevó su lucha contra Boeing un paso más allá mediante la presentación de una demanda, alegando represalias por sus esfuerzos de denuncia. Se sentó para una declaración en el elenco de la semana pasada, y al día siguiente fue encontrado muerto, presuntamente por suicidio.

Mientras tanto, Boeing se enfrenta a más problemas, incluyendo un vuelo de esta semana de Australia a Nueva Zelanda que comenzó a caer del cielo después de experimentar un fallo masivo del equipo.

Jenifer Lewis Real Story of My Near Fatal Fall ... Fortitude to Get Back Up!!!

Published
031324-jenifer-lewis-kal
WE FALL DOWN, BUT WE GET UP

Jenifer Lewis is using her nearly deadly fall in Africa to teach life lessons ... emphasizing the importance of getting up after suffering such a catastrophic crash.

The beloved actress joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live" and recounted her frightening tumble in Africa, but told us she prefers to focus on the incredible steps she took to get back up on her feet again.

Lewis said she walked out onto a deck at her luxurious accommodation on the Serengeti of Tanzania -- she says it was pitch black outside, so she never saw a huge gap in the deck between her and the infinity pool. Suddenly, she plummeted down 10 feet and slammed to the ground.

Jenifer was unable to move and had to scream for her travel companion to come to her aid, and call for medical assistance ... which took a long time. She told us, while she was down there she had some scary encounters with wild animals, before a Doctors Without Borders team airlifted her to Nairobi, Kenya.

JL says she suffered through a 9-hour surgery before spending the next 6 days in the ICU ... and then she had to start a long stretch in a hospital bed.

She's got a ton of kind words for the people who took care of her when she couldn't walk or go to the bathroom by herself.

As for why she's sharing her story now ... Jenifer wanted to tell people she'd fallen once she could also tell the world how she'd gotten back up -- an inspiring message no doubt.

Jeni was on the verge of tears as she recalled her ordeal, but soldiered through the convo, displaying the kind of strength that got her back to her feet.

Lewis is moving on from this incident ... and giving fans new inspiration for their next difficult day.

ALASKA AIRLINES INCIDENT BOEING DOOR PLUG REMOVAL VID OVERWRITTEN

Published

Boeing's video footage showing exactly who worked on the 737 Max 9 door that flew off an Alaska Airlines flight has been erased, and the NTSB believes the company's trying to hide the information.

National Transportation Safety Board chairman, Jennifer Homendy, wrote a letter Wednesday to the Senate Commerce Committee ... saying they're still in the dark about which Boeing employees were involved in the door's repair. They had requested the list of names when the preliminary report into the investigation revealed the door had no bolts during the mid-flight scare on January 5.

Homendy accused Boeing of obstructing their investigation ... telling Senators Maria Cantwell and Ted Cruz, "We still have no clue who did the work to open, reinstall, and close the door plug on the accident aircraft." She added, "Boeing has informed us that they are unable to find the records documenting this work."

During her testimony before the SCC earlier this month, Homendy clarified Boeing only provided a list of employees who report to the door crew manager, but not exactly who had worked on the door plug in question.

010624_alaska_airlines-kal JANUARY 2024
TRYING TO REMAIN CALM

In her letter, Homendy says she then reached out to Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to obtain the names, but he informed her he couldn't provide that info, maintaining Boeing had no records of the work being done.

Homendy says the absence of those names has resulted in a frustrating roadblock in the NTSB's investigation -- and she clarifies they're not seeking the names for punitive reasons, and will safeguard the identities of the employees involved.

You'll remember ... the Boeing aircraft had to make an emergency landing in Portland after one of the cabin windows blew out, causing a terrifying scene with belongings of frightened passengers being sucked out.

Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci announced at the time the company would be grounding its fleet of 65 Boeing 737-9 aircraft temporarily for a thorough inspection and maintenance as a precautionary measure. By the end of the month, they got the all-clear to resume flights.

013024-john-barnett-kal JANUARY 2024
SHARP DECLINE IN QUALITY

However, former Boeing quality manager John Barnett came on "TMZ Live" to make it clear he disagreed with that decision ... because he claimed Boeing was ignoring significant safety concerns.

Barnett had even taken his fight against Boeing a step further by filing a lawsuit, alleging retaliation for his whistleblowing efforts. He sat for a deposition in the cast last week, and the very next day he was found dead ... allegedly by suicide.

Meanwhile, Boeing's facing more issues ... including a flight this week from Australia to NZ that started falling from the sky after experiencing massive equipment failure.

ABOGADOS DE EX EMPLEADO DE BOEING NO HAY SEÑALES DE QUE SU CLIENTE SE SUICIDARA Quieren respuestas en medio de la muerte

Published

Los abogados del denunciante del Boeing dicen que no parecía suicida antes del incidente, y es por eso que piensan que su muerte es increíblemente sospechosa y están pidiendo respuestas de inmediato.

Robert Turkewitz y Brian Knowles -que estuvieron con John Barnett en una demanda por represalias contra Boeing- le dicen a TMZ que Barnett estaba en medio de las deposiciones de su caso civil, un proceso que aseguran estaba a punto de terminar.

Nos dicen que Barnett estaba de buen humor y listo para seguir adelante. Y añaden: "No vimos ningún indicio de que fuera a quitarse la vida. Nadie puede creerlo".

Y añaden: "Todos estamos desolados. Necesitamos más información sobre lo que le ocurrió a John. La policía de Charleston tiene que investigar esto a fondo y con precisión y contarle al público lo que averigüen. No se puede dejar ningún detalle sin investigar".

Los abogados explican que Barnett había presentado la demanda, porque sentía que Boeing tomó represalias contra él después de tratar de hacer sonar la alarma, debido a que él creía que estaban haciendo la vista gorda a las cuestiones de seguridad, y alegó en su demanda que habían fomentado un ambiente de trabajo hostil.

Como hemos dicho, el caso de Barnett parecía estar terminando, y Barnett se quitó la vida repentinamente en medio de todo el drama. Su equipo legal asegura que hay gato encerrado. Knowles incluso fue citado, llamando "presunta" a la herida autoinfligida que se le atribuye a su cliente.

013024-john-barnett-kal JANUARY 2024
BRUSCO DESCENSO DE CALIDAD

Como hemos informado, Barnett estuvo hablando sobre los problemas que el Boeing había experimentado últimamente, incluso llegando a nuestro propio programa, "TMZ Live".

Explicó por qué sentía que conseguir la luz verde para volver a surcar los cielos tan pronto luego del incidente de Alaska Airlines era dudosa, alegando que esto le recordaba su propia experiencia con Boeing como gerente de calidad. Período durante el cual alegó que vio muchos problemas.

A raíz de nuestra charla con Barnett, los aviones de Boeing han seguido experimentando problemas. Hubo un caso muy dramático justo esta semana, con un vuelo de Australia a Nueva Zelanda que cayó del cielo después de un aparente fallo del equipo.

Boeing Whistleblower Attorneys No Signs Client Was Suicidal ... Want Answers Amid Death

Published | Updated

udpate

2:03 PM PT -- John Barnett's family released a statement on their loved one's passing, and they reiterated his cause of shining a light on safety concerns that he was raising while at Boeing -- noting he was deeply affected by the lawsuit he was embroiled in, which they say was going to trial in June. His family says they believe his experience at Boeing contributed to his death.

The Boeing whistleblower's attorneys say he didn't appear suicidal before he died -- which is why they think his death is incredibly suspicious ... and are calling for answers immediately.

Robert Turkewitz and Brian Knowles -- who were repping John Barnett in a retaliation lawsuit against Boeing, which was well underway -- tell TMZ ... Barnett was in the middle of depositions last week in his civil case, a process they say was nearing an end soon.

We're told Barnett was in good spirits and very much so looking forward to putting this whole saga behind him, ready to move on. They add, "We didn't see any indication he would take his own life. No one can believe it."

They add, "We are all devastated. We need more information about what happened to John. The Charleston police need to investigate this fully and accurately and tell the public what they find out. No detail can be left unturned."

The attorneys explain that Barnett had filed suit because he felt Boeing had retaliated against him after he tried sounding the alarm on what he believed was them turning a blind eye to safety issues ... and alleged in his lawsuit they'd fostered a hostile work environment.

Like we said ... Barnett's case seemed to be wrapping up -- and amid reports Barnett took his own life in the middle of all this, it's safe to say his legal team is incredulous. Knowles was even quoted as calling the self-inflicted wound being attributed to his client "alleged."

013024-john-barnett-kal JANUARY 2024
SHARP DECLINE IN QUALITY

As we reported ... Barnett had been going around and speaking very publicly about the issues Boeing had been experiencing lately -- even coming onto our own show, "TMZ Live."

He explained why he felt them getting the green light to hit the skies again so soon after the Alaska Airlines incident was dubious -- claiming this was in line with his own experience with Boeing as a quality manager ... a period during which he alleged he saw many lapses.

In the aftermath of our chat with Barnett, Boeing planes have continued to experience problems -- including something dramatic just this week ... with a flight from Australia to New Zealand beginning to drop out of the sky after apparent massive equipment failure.

Originally Published -- 2:03 PM PT

Spring Break ¡¡¡Pelea entre chicas en la playa!!! Caos en Fort Lauderdale

Published | Updated
031224_girl_fight_kal
Riña durante un spring break

Las vacaciones de primavera se parecen más a un combate de la UFC, ya que el caos total se apoderó de las playas al sur de Florida, y la buena gente de Fort Lauderdale probablemente está diciendo: "¡¡¡Muchas gracias, Miami!!!"

La escapada anual de los estudiantes universitarios comenzó el lunes con miles de jóvenes haciendo su arribo a Florida y las cosas se salieron casi inmediatamente de control, cuando unas estudiantes en bikini se enzarzaron en una pelea cuerpo a cuerpo como muestra este video, que rápidamente se convirtió en una riña que involucró a decenas.

No sabemos exactamente lo que provocó la pelea, pero creemos que el alcohol jugó un rol.

Este es exactamente el tipo de escena que temía Miami Beach cuando la ciudad impuso nuevas restricciones antes de las vacaciones de primavera, pero como se puede ver, la locura se ha trasladado un poco más arriba de la costa a Lauderdale.

La decisión de Miami se produjo luego de registrar 2 tiroteos durante las vacaciones del año pasado, que también provocaron 488 detenciones y más de 230 casos de delitos graves.

Como informamos, la ciudad publicó un video de campaña donde se instó a los spring breakers a llevar la fiesta para otra parte y se les informó que habría toques de queda, control de los bolsos, acceso restringido a la playa y puestos de control de DUI.

Muy desalentador para los universitarios, por lo que no es de extrañar que Fort Lauderdale esté absorbiendo las masivas fiestas ahora.

Un día después, la ciudad ya ha tenido que reforzar la presencia policial, poniendo más agentes en la arena para patrullar las fiestas en la playa y unidades K-9 para inspeccionar a los juerguistas que estaban tomando el sol.

Con policía o sin ella, una cosa está clara: cuando se reúnen multitudes, hay peleas.

Spring Break All-Girl Brawl Beach!!!

Published | Updated

update

11:03 AM PT -- Fort Lauderdale PD is saying this brawl has nothing to do with their city or their beaches -- so it's unclear where exactly this happened ... but it's still pretty crazy all the same.

update

Spring Break's looking more like a UFC match as all-out mayhem erupts on South Florida beaches ... and the good people of Fort Lauderdale are probably saying, "Thanks a lot, Miami!!!"

The annual college student getaway kicked off Monday with thousands of students making their way to FL, and it almost immediately got outta hand. Multiple bikini-clad students went toe-to-toe in the sand -- as the video shows, it quickly turned into a melee involving dozens.

No word on what exactly sparked the brawl, but we're guessing alcohol played a part.

This is exactly the kinda scene Miami Beach feared when the city imposed new restrictions ahead of Spring Break -- but, as you can see, the madness has just moved up the coast a bit to Lauderdale.

Miami's decision came after 2 shootings during last year's break, which also resulted in 488 arrests ... and more than 230 of them were felony cases.

As we reported ... the city posted a campaign video where spring breakers were urged to take the party elsewhere and informed there would be threatened curfews, bag checks, restricted beach access and DUI checkpoints.

All vibe killers, so it's no wonder Fort Lauderdale is absorbing the massive party scene.

One day in, and that city has already had to ramp up the police presence ... putting more officers in the sand to patrol beach parties, and K-9 units were inspecting sunbathing revelers.

Cops or not, one thing's already clear -- when the crowds gather, there's gonna be fighting.

Originally Published -- 7:53 AM PT

Pasajero del Boeing 787 de Latam La caída fue como estar en el "exorcista" Muestra sus heridas

Published | Updated

Un pasajero a bordo del Boeing 787 de Latam Airlines, que sufrió una caída en el transcurso del vuelo y se dirigía de Australia a Nueva Zelanda, relató su terrible experiencia y está compartiendo fotos de las lesiones que sufrió la gente también.

Brian Jokat, de 61 años, estuvo en CNN diciendo que se había quedado dormido en el avión cuando despertó y vio cuerpos volando y golpeándose con el techo, una escena que comparó con "El Exorcista" mientras el avión caía alrededor de 500 pies, según él.

Al principio, dice que pensó que era un sueño, pero entonces un pasajero que estaba junto a él cayó desde el techo y se golpeó con su reposabrazos y fue entonces cuando se dio cuenta de que estaba en una pesadilla real.

Después del vuelo, un portavoz de la aerolínea dijo que un problema técnico había causado la caída, pero dejó a todos sin saber lo que realmente pasó. Sin embargo, Brian compartió una idea de lo ocurrido, diciendo a CNN que el piloto reveló que perdió el control de sus instrumentos repentinamente, lo que provocó que todo quedara a oscuras.

Dice que el piloto, que estaba en estado de shock, regresó para chequear cómo estaba todo el mundo y les dijo que había perdido esencialmente el control del jet porque los indicadores se quedaron en blanco. Absolutamente aterrador, sin duda.

Al cabo de unos segundos, los indicadores volvieron a su patrón de vuelo normal y el avión aterrizó sin problemas en el aeropuerto de Auckland, para el alivio de Brian. También le dijo a The Post que estaba seguro de que todos iban a caer y se había hecho la idea de que todo estaba fuera de su control.

Por cierto, Brian compartió fotos de las heridas de los pasajeros mientras fueron sacudidos en la cabina y se ven absolutamente brutales, por decir lo menos.

Alrededor de 50 pasajeros fueron atendidos por heridas leves o moderadas, y una persona quedó en estado de gravedad.

Este es solo el último incidente de Boeing en los últimos tiempos: sus aviones han sido objeto de un escrutinio increíble debido a problemas en el aire y doblemente a raíz de la repentina muerte de John Barnett.

013024-john-barnett-kal JANUARY 2024
Fuerte caída en la calidad

Recuerden, él estaba en medio de una demanda contra ellos, pero apareció muerto este fin de semana pasado. Estuvo en "TMZ Live" a principios de este año para explicar por qué pensaba que los aviones Boeing no eran seguros. Esto, de acuerdo a sus propias experiencias de trabajo con la empresa, según él dijo.

LATAM BOEING 787 Passenger Says Nosedive Was Like 'Exorcist' ... Shares Photos of Injuries

Published | Updated

A passenger onboard the nosediving Boeing flight from Australia to New Zealand has recounted his horrific experience ... and he's shared pics of the injuries people sustained, too.

61-year-old Brian Jokat gave the blow-by-blow to CNN -- saying he'd fallen asleep on the plane only to awaken to see bodies flying past him and hitting the roof ... a scene he likened to "The Exorcist," as the plane dropped around 500 feet on Monday, according to him.

At first, he says he thought it was a dream -- but then a fellow passenger suddenly dropped from the roof, hitting his armrest ... and that's when he realized he was in a living nightmare.

After the flight ... an airline spokesperson said there was a technical issue that had caused the drop, but left everyone in the dark about what it actually was. However, Brian has given insight into what really went down ... telling CNN the pilot revealed he'd lost control of his instruments on a dime, with everything just going dark.

He says the shocked pilot came back to check in on everyone ... telling them he'd essentially lost control of the jet 'cause the gauges went blank on him. Absolutely terrifying, no doubt.

After a few seconds, the gauges returned and reengaged to their normal flight pattern ... with the plane ultimately landing safely at Auckland airport, much to the relief of Brian. He also told The Post he was certain they were all gonna go down and had made peace that it was all out of his control.

BTW, Brian shared pictures of people's injuries as they were being tossed around in the cabin -- and they look absolutely brutal, to say the least.

Roughly 50 passengers were treated for mild to moderate injuries, and one person was in serious condition.

This is just the latest incident with Boeing of late -- their aircrafts have come under incredible scrutiny due to problems in the sky ... and doubly so amid John Barnett's sudden death.

013024-john-barnett-kal JANUARY 2024
SHARP DECLINE IN QUALITY

Remember, he was in the midst of a lawsuit against them ... but turned up dead this past weekend. He came on "TMZ Live" earlier this year to explain why he thought Boeing planes weren't safe, based on what he claims were his own experiences working with the company.

NFL Star Puka Nacua I'm Better At Football Than Basketball ... But I Could Maybe Hoop Overseas!!!

Published | Updated

Puka Nacua put his hoops skills on full display at the NBA's All-Star festivities last month ... and he tells TMZ Sports if he ever needed basketball to pay his bills, he could probably get it done professionally overseas!!

The Rams wideout put on the show on Feb. 16 at the All-Star Celebrity Game in Indianapolis ... scoring 16 points while throwing down two highly impressive dunks. It was so eye-opening, many wondered if the football player could actually transition just fine into the sport if he wanted to.

So, when we got him out at LAX this month ... we asked the question -- and he didn't say no!!!

While he was sure he could never get it done in the NBA, the 22-year-old didn't rule out other pro leagues across the pond ... telling us, "Maybe in another country!"

Nacua, however, doesn't seem interested at all in pursuing another career anytime soon -- telling us straight up, "I'm a lot better at football, that's for sure."

Of course, there's really no reason whatsoever to even explore at this point. The former BYU standout just had one of the greatest rookie seasons in NFL history, catching 105 passes for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns.

But, if it ever became necessary ... at least he knows it's a possible option!

Boeing Whistleblower Dies by Suicide ... Amid Involvement in Lawsuit Against Co.

Published | Updated

A whistleblower who was at war with Boeing died last week -- and investigators say it appears he took his own life, this while he was embroiled in a lawsuit against the company.

John Barnett was discovered dead on Saturday out in Charleston, SC -- where cops say his body was found in his truck in a hotel parking lot ... with him suffering an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. No word on if foul play is suspected -- but police are investigating.

Barnett's attorney, Brian Knowles, called the passing of his client "tragic" ... and went on to express explicit doubt about the circumstances of his death, making sure to call the self-inflicted gunshot wound cops are citing as "alleged."

What's more startling is Barnett was literally in the midst of a whistleblower lawsuit against Boeing -- his former employer of 32 years -- as he was alleging retaliation for sounding the alarm on what he characterized as cutting corners on assembly lines for their planes.

This is a drum Barnett had been beating for a long time -- and he even came on "TMZ Live" recently to address issues that Boeing's 737 Max aircraft had been experiencing lately.

Of course, the one incident that comes to mind is a door blowing off a 737 flight mid-air in January ... which left the passengers clinging to dear life as the plane tried to land safely.

013024-john-barnett-kal JANUARY 2024
SHARP DECLINE IN QUALITY

Barnett -- a former quality manager at Boeing -- spoke with us and said he wasn't surprised by the mishap ... alleging he'd seen Boeing turn a blind eye to safety concerns for years. He also told us that Boeing's 737 Max aircraft being given the green light to fly again so soon after the Alaska Airlines incident was alarming ... suggesting it might've been unsafe.

Fast-forward to last week ... when Barnett was in the middle of depositions in his case against Boeing. The company released a statement and said it was saddened by his death.

010624_alaska_airlines-kal JANUARY 2024
TRYING TO REMAIN CALM

He was 62.

RIP

LATAM BOEING 787 PASSENGERS FLUNG THROUGH CABIN!!! Sudden Drop, Many Injured

Published | Updated

Passengers on a flight from Australia to New Zealand were being tossed around in a cabin after a technical problem caused the plane to take a brief nosedive -- leaving many injured.

Check it out ... one passenger's doubled over in pain and attended to by others, while another's clutching her head in agony onboard an LATAM Airlines Boeing 787-9 ... a model that's, ironically, called the Dreamliner.

It was certainly a tense moment Monday for everyone on board ... they're all looking around, wide-eyed and scared, not knowing what the heck just happened or if it's gonna happen again.

One passenger said some folks weren't strapped into their seatbelts at the time of the drop ... while another told CNN some people were tossed around so vigorously, the plane's ceiling ended up with blood on it!

Despite all the mid-air chaos, the flight -- which was stopping in New Zealand before heading to its final destination in Santiago, Chile -- managed to land safely at Auckland Airport as planned.

A spokesperson for the airline didn't elaborate on what the tech issue was ... just telling the New Zealand Herald the situation had affected some crew and passengers. Understatement much?

Roughly 50 passengers were treated at the airport for mild to moderate injuries, and one person is in serious condition.