On January 5, 2024, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, operating a Boeing 737-9 (registration N704AL), encountered an emergency situation where the left mid exit door plug unexpectedly departed from the aircraft, resulting in rapid decompression. The flight was en route from Portland International Airport (PDX) in Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California (ONT).
Despite the challenging circumstances, the flight crew skillfully managed the situation. Flight 1282 safely returned to PDX and executed a smooth landing on runway 28L. All occupants, including 2 flight crewmembers, 4 cabin crewmembers, and 171 passengers, deplaned without further incident. Seven passengers and one flight attendant sustained minor injuries.
In response to this incident, Alaska Airlines promptly grounded its fleet of B737-9 airplanes to assess the MED plugs. Beginning on Saturday morning, January 6, 2024, comprehensive inspections were initiated.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive, mandating specific inspections for all operators of 737-9 aircraft before returning them to service.
Further safety precautions were outlined in the FAA’s Safety Alert for Operators (SAFO) 24001, published on January 21, 2024. This SAFO specifically targets Boeing 737-900ER airplanes equipped with the same MED plug as the accident aircraft.
Operators are advised to promptly inspect the four locations where retaining hardware secures the door to the airframe.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating this incident, aiming to identify contributing factors and prevent similar occurrences in the future. The preliminary report is released which can be read here: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Documents/DCA24MA063%20Preliminary%20report.pdf