Alaska Airlines Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Mid-Air Door Panel Blowout

Pilot Emily Wiprud recalls the harrowing experience of Flight 1282, which lost a door plug at 16,000 feet, prompting an emergency landing.

The incident occurred on January 5, 2024, shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon, en route to Ontario, California.
First Officer Emily Wiprud described hearing an explosion and a rush of air, initially fearing passengers had been sucked out of the plane.
An investigation revealed that the 737 Max 9 was missing four key bolts meant to secure the door plug, leading to the blowout.
Despite the chaos, the flight crew successfully made an emergency landing in Portland, with all 177 passengers and crew surviving.
The incident has led to multiple investigations into Boeing's safety practices and a temporary grounding of all 737 Max 9s with the same door plug configuration.