WASHINGTON (March 12, 2024) — The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a hearing Aug. 6 and 7 on its investigation into how and why a door plug departed from a Boeing 737-9 MAX passenger jet during flight.
The NTSB conducts an investigative hearing to assist in obtaining information necessary to determine the facts, circumstances, and probable cause of the transportation accident or incident under investigation and to make recommendations to improve transportation safety. While the investigative hearing is open to the public, only NTSB board members, investigators, scheduled witnesses and parties to the hearing are allowed to participate. The hearing will also be livestreamed. The location and other details about the hearing will be announced in the coming weeks.
The accident occurred Jan. 5, when a left mid exit door plug departed the airplane, operated as Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, at an altitude of about 16,000 feet shortly after departing Portland, Oregon, on a flight destined for Ontario, California. Following the loss of the door plug, which led to a rapid decompression, the flight crew returned to Portland where the airplane landed safely. Of the 171 passengers and six crewmembers onboard, eight reported minor injuries.
Visit the accident investigation webpage, which includes links to video of media briefings, photos, the preliminary accident report and other related materials.
To report an incident/accident or if you are a public safety agency, please call 1-844-373-9922 or 202-314-6290 to speak to a Watch Officer at the NTSB Response Operations Center (ROC) in Washington, DC (24/7).
