A Boeing 737 Max 9 experienced a dramatic inflight emergency over Oregon, raising serious questions about aviation safety. The aircraft, which had previously displayed a warning light signaling potential pressurization issues on three separate occasions, was deliberately kept off long-haul flights over water by Alaska Airlines. Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), revealed that this decision was made so the plane could quickly land if the issue recurred.
However, the connection between the pressurization warning light and the recent incident, where a plug covering an unused exit door detached mid-flight, remains uncertain. The light had activated on December 7, January 3, and January 4 — the latter being just a day before the door plug incident. Homendy noted that the specifics of the December incident are not fully known, but confirmed the light’s activation in the subsequent instances.
The NTSB reported that the detached door plug, measuring 26 by 48 inches and weighing 63 pounds, was discovered near Portland, Oregon. A local school teacher, known as Bob, found the piece in his backyard and promptly sent photos to the safety board. Investigators are now examining the plug to determine how it broke free from the aircraft.
Complicating the investigation is the lack of cockpit voice recordings from the flight. The cockpit voice recorder, one of the aircraft’s black boxes, overwrote the recording after two hours, as explained by Homendy.
At a press conference, Homendy detailed the chaotic moments aboard the plane. The sudden decompression damaged several rows of seats, dislodged insulation, and caused the cockpit and lavatory doors to fly open. The incident was so forceful that it dislodged the co-pilot’s headset and partially removed the captain’s. Even a quick reference checklist in the cockpit was sucked out due to the open cockpit.
Despite these challenges, the aircraft safely returned to Portland, and none of the 171 passengers or six crew members sustained serious injuries.
Following this incident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated the grounding of 171 out of the 218 Max 9s in service. This order affected all planes operated by Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, pending inspections. The specifics of these inspections were still being awaited by the airlines at the time.
Alaska Airlines, with a fleet of 65 Max 9s, and United Airlines, with 79, are the primary U.S. carriers of this Boeing model. United Airlines awaited further instructions from Boeing, anticipating a “multi-operator message” – a service bulletin issued when multiple airlines need to perform similar maintenance tasks.
Boeing, in the process of drafting the bulletin, had not yet submitted it for FAA review. This procedure typically requires a couple of days and involves detailed technical guidance. The company, maintaining discretion, chose not to comment publicly on the issue.
The grounding of these aircraft led to significant disruptions. Alaska Airlines canceled over 170 flights, impacting more than a fifth of its daily operations, while United Airlines canceled approximately 180 flights, managing to save some by deploying alternative aircraft.
Senator Maria Cantwell, chair of the Senate’s Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, supported the decision to ground the Max 9s. She emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards in aviation production, including quality control inspections and strong FAA oversight.
Before the discovery of the missing door plug, the NTSB had urged residents in the Cedar Hills area, west of Portland, to search for the object. Community members, including Adam Pirkle, who rode 14 miles on his bicycle, combed through dense areas in hopes of finding the piece.
The search efforts were intense and widespread. Two cell phones, presumably belonging to passengers from the affected flight, were found and handed over to the NTSB. These discoveries occurred before the school teacher identified the missing door plug in his backyard.
Alaska Airlines flight 1282, which experienced this alarming incident, had departed Portland for Ontario, California. Approximately six minutes into the flight, while climbing at about 16,000 feet, the fuselage section blew out. The pilots promptly declared an emergency and descended to a safer altitude where passengers could breathe without oxygen masks.
Passenger videos showcased the aftermath, with a gaping hole where the paneled-over door once was. The flight’s safe landing, about 13 minutes post-incident, was met with applause from passengers, who remained seated while firefighters assessed the situation.
This incident was particularly concerning as the aircraft had not yet reached cruising altitude, which could have resulted in a more dangerous scenario had passengers and flight attendants been moving around the cabin.
The involved aircraft was relatively new, having entered commercial service on November 11 and completed 145 flights. Boeing’s 737 Max, particularly the Max 8 model, has previously faced scrutiny following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019, leading to a global grounding. Despite subsequent modifications by Boeing, the Max series continues to be under close observation for various issues, including manufacturing flaws and other technical concerns.
