FAA’s Oversight Failures Contributed to Alaska Airlines Door Plug Mishap

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has issued its final report about the Alaska Airlines mid-air door plug blowout on a Boeing 737 MAX 9, which happened in January 2024. The investigators concluded that the probable cause was Boeing’s failure to provide adequate training, guidance, and oversight to ensure proper manufacturing process, including the removal of the mid-exit door (MED) plug.