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2w ago

NTSB Poised to Vote on Probable Cause of Alaska Airlines 737 Max Door Plug Blowout

This vote follows Boeing’s rollout of design updates under the FAA’s ongoing production limits.

The fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737-9 MAX, which was forced to make an emergency landing with a gap in the fuselage, is seen during its investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Portland, Oregon, U.S. January 7, 2024. NTSB/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
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National Transportation Safety Board chairman Jennifer Homendy speaks during a meeting about Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
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Overview

  • The NTSB convened a public hearing to vote on the probable cause of the door plug blowout nearly 18 months after the January 2024 incident.
  • Investigators determined that four bolts securing a nonoperational emergency exit plug were removed for rivet repairs and never reinstalled at Boeing’s Renton factory.
  • NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy has signaled that the board will criticize Boeing’s safety culture and lack of documentation around unauthorized production work.
  • Boeing is working on design changes to reinforce the door plug assembly and aims to retrofit all in-service 737 Max 9 jets within a year.
  • The Federal Aviation Administration retains a cap of 38 737 Max jets per month and has increased inspector presence at Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems facilities.