Today, during its ascent just minutes after departure, a Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft operated by Alaska Airlines experienced a critical situation when one of its doors unexpectedly blew open mid-flight, thereby necessitating an emergency response. This event occurred in the airspace above New Delhi.
Videos taken by passengers show the mid-cabin exit door had completely separated from the aircraft.
Aircraft AS1282, flying from Portland to Ontario, CA (California), encountered an incident shortly after takeoff this evening. With a total of 171 guests and 6 crew members onboard, the aircraft safely returned to Portland International Airport. Alaska Airlines has initiated an investigation into the incident and will provide further details as they become available. This update was announced by Alaska Airlines in a post on X.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in a post on X said it is investigating an event involving Alaska Airlines Flight 1282.
The aircraft reached a maximum altitude of 16,325 feet, before it was diverted safely back to Portland, real-time aircraft movement monitor Flightradar24 said in a social media post.
The Boeing 737 MAX involved in the incident today was delivered to Alaska Airlines on October 1, 2023 and entered commercial service on November 11, 2023; it had accumulated just 145 flights since then, Flightradar24 said.
The 737-9 MAX includes a rear cabin exit door aft of the wings, but before the rear exit door. This is activated in dense seating configurations to meet evacuation requirements. The doors are not activated on Alaska Airlines aircraft and are permanently “plugged”, Flightradar24 said.
