Wasn't it an Aloha Airlines aircraft that suffered a similar problem - only in the air? The whole forward roof section came off, exposing the entire business class cabin from the window line up. The longitudinal floor stringers held the front of the plane on for the rest of the short flight - and nothing else. They found it was due to the epoxy glue holding the overlapping edges of sheetmetal together breaking down - leaving the entire stress up to the rivets, which eventually elongated their holes and popped. Not a good look. It was determined to be the result of a poor maintenance regimen which should have picked up the problem months before.
The Aloha aircraft was a very old 737 too.... one of the oldest flying at the time I think.... doesn't help the poor woman who was sucked out though....
No way!
Slack maintenance is so common. When Greg was with Ansett, we could fly with United for next to nix. But we never ever took up the offer. Not worth the risk.
