The investigation into the Alaska Airlines accident where a door plug detached from the plane shortly after takeoff has achieved a fruitful lead. The officials have confirmed that the missing door plug has been found in a Portland, Oregon-area home. National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy expressed her excitement about the discovery in a news conference and extended her gratitude to a schoolteacher named Bob, who sent photos of the door plug. The recovered item will be sent to a lab in Washington, D.C., for further examination. The investigation also revealed that two cellphones belonging to passengers have been found, one in a yard and another on the side of the road.
The investigation also acknowledged some complications, such as the plane’s cockpit voice recorder having its recording of the event inadvertently taped over. Homendy lamented the loss of voice data, emphasizing its importance for both the investigation and aviation safety, and called for the expansion of the minimum time recorded on the devices. She described the chaos and communication issues on board the Boeing 737 Max 9 and highlighted the incredible actions of the flight crew during the turbulent incident. The NTSB expressed concern over the damage inside the aircraft and the protocol followed for young children without separate, ticketed seats.
In addition, the article explains the measures taken by FAA and Alaska Airlines, with affected 171 planes being grounded for inspections. Boeing is working with the airlines and the FAA to accomplish the inspection process. Notably, the investigation is focused on the door plug and air pressurization alerts, seeking to understand how the plug was fastened and the potential correlation between the alerts and the accident. These findings are crucial for understanding the cause of the plane malfunction and ensuring the safety of future air travel.
