NTSB Investigates Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737 MAX 9 Mid-Air Panel Blowout

Aug 6, 2024, 04:20 PM

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has commenced a two-day hearing to investigate the mid-air blowout of a panel from a Boeing 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on January 5. The incident, which resulted in a loud boom and a gaping hole in the fuselage over Portland, has further tarnished Boeing's safety reputation and left the company facing new legal jeopardy. Executives from Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems, including Boeing's Senior Vice President of Quality Elizabeth Lund, are testifying at the hearing. The NTSB has released documents ahead of the hearings and will question key witnesses from Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). An FAA aviation safety inspector cited a systemic issue at Boeing's factory where employees were not following instructions. The blowout was so powerful that it blew open the cockpit door and tore off the co-pilot's headset. The NTSB and Boeing have not yet determined who removed the door plug that caused the blowout. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy stated that Boeing has a long way to go to improve its safety culture. Boeing's production of the 737 MAX fell to 8 planes per month after the Alaska incident.