What Really Happened To That Alaska Airlines Boeing 737?

Commercial air travel has been in a prolonged state of disorder with staffing shortages, delays, cancellations, and a series of terrifying near-misses on the ground and in the air.

And when a hole ripped in the side of a Boeing 737 Max 9 jet flying shortly after taking off from Portland last week, the issue was suddenly front-page news. You might be familiar with some of the details, but let’s dig deeper into the cause and effect.

It could have been much worse

Based on official reports and anecdotes from those aboard the Alaska Airlines flight, here’s what happened about 20 minutes into the trip.

• There was a loud pop when the door plug came off, leaving a huge hole in the fuselage.
• A host of small items, from cellphones to clothing, were sucked out of the plane.
• Oxygen masks fell from overhead and the jet staged an emergency landing in Portland.

Since it occurred so shortly after takeoff, passengers still had their seatbelts on. Authorities say there could have been much more serious consequences if it had happened later in the flight.

Federal regulators get involved

Officials from agencies including the FAA and NTSB are now probing the incident and at least 171 Boeing jets are undergoing thorough inspections. As of the latest updates available, five of those planes had door plugs that were too loose.

For Alaska Airlines and other carriers that use Boeing 737 Max 9 jets, the incident has resulted in flight cancellations expected to last for at least a few more days.

After two previous Boeing 737 Max crashes, it’s only natural to be concerned, but aviation expert Dan Bubb tried to put things in perspective.

“I know it is alarming,” he said. “But the thing to remember is flying is still very safe.”

Chris Agee January 11th, 2024

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