NTSB Finds Boeing, FAA Failures Caused Alaska Airlines Door Blowout

A federal investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that a near-catastrophic incident involving a door plug flying off an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 in January 2024 was caused by major manufacturing errors at Boeing and insufficient oversight by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The door plug left Boeing's factory without four critical bolts meant to secure it, a flaw missed during inspections and audits despite multiple internal warnings and quality alerts. The NTSB highlighted a systemic failure involving Boeing, its supplier Spirit AeroSystems, and the FAA, emphasizing that the incident was entirely avoidable and resulted from multiple system failures. While praising the heroic actions of the Alaska Airlines crew for ensuring no injuries, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy criticized both Boeing's safety culture and the FAA's ineffective oversight, questioning the regulator's role as the last line of defense. Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems are redesigning the door plug with additional backup systems to prevent future failures, but certification and retrofitting are not expected before 2026. The incident also triggered a Department of Justice criminal investigation and led to leadership changes at Boeing, with the NTSB urging continued improvements in manufacturing risk identification, training, and safety standards.