An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 lost a fuselage segment shortly after takeoff!
Alaska Airlines flight AS1282 from Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California was involved in a serious incident. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft lost a fuselage segment that appears to be the emergency door above the wings.
Following the incident, the plane landed safely at Portland International Airport. There were 171 passengers and 6 crew members on board.
The airline said: The safety of our guests and employees is always our top priority, so although this type of incident is rare, our flight crew have been trained and prepared to handle the situation safely. We are investigating what happened and will share more information as it becomes available. Alaska Airlines has decided to ground all 65 Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes for further checks.
Alaska Airlines flight # AS1282, a Boeing 737 MAX 9, experienced a rapid decompression after the loss of a large panel that included an emergency exit door on the left side of the plane.
— Aviation Safety Network (ASN) (@AviationSafety) January 6, 2024
The flight made a safe return to Portland (PDX).pic.twitter.com/KH4gs0X4o6
Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Airlines, has to clarify: we are working with Boeing and regulators to understand what happened tonight and will share updates as more information becomes available. The NTSB is investigating this event and we will fully support their investigation.
The aircraft involved is a Boeing 737 MAX 9 (N704AL) model, which was delivered in October 2023. From the images presented, it can be seen that it is an escape door, but on the Alaska Airlines model, that door is disabled.