NTSB Seeks Assistance in Locating Missing Fragment from Alaska Airlines Jet in Midair Mishap
Federal investigators are urgently seeking a crucial fragment of an Alaska Airlines plane's fuselage that violently detached midair This distressing incident triggered a nationwide grounding of Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft, accompanied by numerous flight cancellations
Federal investigators are currently in search of the missing fragment of an Alaska Airlines fuselage that detached mid-flight. This incident has prompted a nationwide grounding of specific Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft and numerous flight cancellations as investigators work to determine the cause of the midair ordeal. At a press conference on Saturday, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy appealed to the public for assistance in locating the "plug door" and other components that detached from the aircraft during the flight.
"We have reason to believe, based on radar data, that the door may be located around Barnes Road near I-217 in the Cedar Hills neighborhood. If found, please contact local law enforcement," Homendy stated.
The hole that appeared suddenly on the aircraft, which was carrying 177 people from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, on Friday, caused panic as the cabin depressurized, oxygen masks were deployed, and passengers frantically sent messages to loved ones. Despite the terrifying ordeal, the plane landed safely and no serious injuries were reported, according to authorities.
"We are incredibly lucky that this didn't result in a more tragic outcome," remarked Homendy.
As a result of the mid-air incident, the Federal Aviation Administration has opted to temporarily ground specific Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft until they undergo thorough inspections. Boeing has encountered a series of challenges in the past few years, notably the worldwide grounding in 2019 after two devastating crashes.
Alaska Airlines said Saturday night that emergency inspections of its fleet of Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes "will take more time," warning flight disruptions will likely continue.
Alaska Airlines flight makes emergency landing in Oregon after window appears to have blown out after takeoff.
Kyle Rinker
Alaska Airlines Flight 1282: A loud noise, a sudden rush of air, and a boy's shirt ripped away
The airline has stated that 160 flights have been canceled, impacting about 23,000 passengers as of Saturday afternoon, and there could be additional cancellations on Sunday.
The airline stated that necessary cancellations are being identified for tomorrow and they anticipate the disruption to continue at least through the middle of the week. Additionally, United Airlines announced the suspension of services on all Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft and is collaborating with the FAA to clarify the inspection process and requirements for returning all MAX 9 aircraft to service. The airline has 79 of the aircraft model in its fleet.
In the meantime, investigators are beginning to dig into the Alaska planes maintenance records, among other components, as they investigate the mishap.
Seat headrests were blown off
Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 had climbed to 16,000 feet after departing from Portland when the unexpected incident occurred. The aircraft had been in the air for approximately 20 minutes, as reported by FlightAware.
Suddenly, there was a loud boom as the fuselage plug, which looked like the usual interior of a commercial jet to passengers, was blown off the plane, causing items to be sucked out of the aircraft, as shown in video footage and described by passengers.
Fortunately, there were no passengers in seats 26A and 26B, which were located right next to the blown-off plug door, Homendy stated on Saturday night. The back of seat 26A is entirely missing, as are the headrests from seats 25A and 26A. Additionally, clothing was found scattered in the vicinity.
Homendy added that we were fortunate to have avoided a more tragic outcome. She also mentioned that another factor that prevented a worse situation was that the incident occurred before the plane reached cruising altitude, when passengers usually start moving around.
The incident caused panic among passengers on the plane.
Nick Hoch, 33, recalled hearing a loud "boom" and feeling the plane suddenly jolt. "Our oxygen masks dropped down and we put them on right away, but it was a confusing situation," Hoch told CNN on Saturday.
Hoch said he was sitting on the left side of the plane, a few rows in front of where the panel blew off and "a mist or cloud whooshed past me that kind of hit me in the face."
A passenger sent this picture from inside the aircraft after the landing on Friday.
Kyle Rinker
Alaska Airlines anticipates ongoing flight disruptions as FAA inspections of 737 Max 9 aircraft are expected to be prolonged. "There were individuals nearby whom I conversed with that had AirPods fall out of their ears," he stated.
Multiple passengers on the aircraft needed medical care for injuries, but Alaska Airlines announced on Saturday night that they have all been cleared by medical professionals. "I can only imagine how frightening this must have been," Homendy stated. "We often overlook the psychological impact of such events, but I am certain it was significant in this case."
Alaska Airlines announced that they are collaborating with Boeing to investigate the events of Flight 1282. The Boeing 737 MAX 9, which was involved in the incident on Friday, has been in operation for approximately three months and has completed around 150 flights since October 2023, according to data from the flight tracking site FlightAware and Federal Aviation Administration records.
Final texts to loved ones
Alaska Airlines initially inspected and returned 18 of its Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes to service on Saturday, only to reverse course hours later and announce that the aircraft would be removed until further maintenance details are confirmed with the FAA.
Stephanie King, speaking to CNN, shared that she was seated in row 12 on an Alaska Airlines flight to her home in California when she heard a powerful rush of wind. "I immediately sensed that something was wrong," she explained to CNN over the phone on Saturday.
King reported that the flight attendants were making announcements, but the loud noise from the open plane prevented her from hearing much of the information. According to King, several passengers near the opening in the plane were in a panic and relocated to vacant seats away from the scene.
"One of the women was wailing and sobbing uncontrollably, repeating, 'My son! My son! His shirt was torn off!'" King recounted. "It was like something out of a dream."
Concerned for her well-being, King pulled out her phone to both capture video footage and compose final text messages to her family and friends.
She said, "I quickly crafted text messages to my boyfriend and my mom to let them know something was happening, that I was scared, and that I love them." King added that although it felt like a long time, the plane landed safely less than 10 minutes after the incident.
"It was then really calm. Everybody was just in shock⦠It was eerie," she said.
Boeings 737 MAX jets had previous issues
Following the Alaska Airlines incident, the FAA issued a temporary grounding order for Boeing 737 MAX 9 aircraft. In response, Boeing expressed support for the decision, emphasizing their commitment to safety and regret for the impact on customers and passengers. They also endorsed the FAAs call for immediate inspections of 737-9 airplanes with similar configurations.
Boeing's most recent grounding follows a string of setbacks for the company. In the previous month, Boeing instructed airlines to conduct inspections on all of their 737 MAX jets for a potential loose bolt in the rudder system, prompted by the discovery of a potential issue with a key part on two aircraft by an airline.
Oxygen masks for passengers dangle from the ceiling near a broken window and a section of the aircraft's side wall. The Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, originally headed for Ontario, California, experienced a loss of cabin pressure shortly after takeoff in Portland, Oregon, U.S. on January 5, 2024, as seen in this image sourced from social media.
@strawberrvy/Instagram via Reuters
Boeing suffers another setback with Alaska Airlines emergency landing
Boeing's engineering and quality issues have presented significant obstacles for the company. The crashes of two 737-8 MAX jets, resulting in the loss of all 346 people on board, led to a 20-month suspension of the aircraft. The MAX resumed passenger flights in late December 2020, but has faced additional challenges. In April, Boeing acknowledged a manufacturing problem with some 737 MAX aircraft, stemming from a supplier's use of a "non-standard manufacturing process" during the installation of two fittings in the rear fuselage. Despite Boeing's assurance that the issue did not pose a safety risk, it has added to ongoing concerns.
CNNs Sara Smart, Jillian Sykes, Sharif Paget, Pete Muntean, Raja Razek, Eva Rothenberg and Tina Burnside contributed to this report.
