The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a hearing Aug. 6 and 7 on its investigation into how and why a door plug departed from a Boeing 737-9 MAX passenger jet during flight.
The NTSB conducts investigative hearings to assist in obtaining information necessary to determine the facts, circumstances, and probable cause of a transportation accident or incident under investigation and to make recommendations to improve transportation safety.
While the investigative hearing is open to the public, only NTSB board members, investigators, scheduled witnesses and parties to the hearing are allowed to participate. The hearing will also be livestreamed. The location and other details about the hearing will be announced in the coming weeks.
The accident occurred Jan. 5, when a left exit door plug at Row 26 separated from the aircraft, operated as Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, at an altitude of about 16,000 feet shortly after departing Portland, Ore. en route to Ontario, Calif.
Following the loss of the door plug, which resulted in a rapid decompression of the cabin, the flight crew returned to Portland where the airplane landed safely. Of the 171 passengers and six crewmembers onboard, eight reported minor injuries.
