NTSB Final Report on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Door Plug Incident

On July 10, 2025, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its final report on the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 incident involving the in-flight separation of a mid exit door plug. The report was formally adopted during a Board meeting held on June 24, 2025.

The accident involved a Boeing 737-9 aircraft that experienced the separation of its left mid exit door (MED) plug and a rapid loss of cabin pressure while climbing through approximately 14,830 feet after departing from Portland International Airport in Oregon.

According to the NTSB, the probable cause of the incident was Boeing’s failure to provide sufficient training, guidance, and oversight to ensure that manufacturing personnel consistently and correctly followed the procedures for parts removal and reinstallation. The missing bolts that should have secured the door plug were never reinstalled during final assembly.

As a result of the investigation, the NTSB issued new safety recommendations to both the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing. In addition, previously issued recommendations were reiterated to the FAA, Airlines for America (A4A), the National Air Carrier Association (NACA), and the Regional Airline Association (RAA).

The findings underscore critical gaps in manufacturing quality control and have led to increased scrutiny across the aviation industry.
 
Final report: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AIR2504.pdf

NTSB Investigation page: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Pages/DCA24MA063.aspx

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ntsb.gov