Alaska Airlines plane that lost door plug was restricted to shorter flights over pressurization warning light concerns: NTSB

The Boeing passenger jetliner that lost its door plug mid flight Friday was not being used for flights to Hawaii after a warning light that could indicate a pressurization problem lit up on three different trips, federal officials revealed Sunday. National Transportation Safety Board chair Jennifer Homendy said Alaska Airlines restricted the aircraft from lengthy flights over water so the plane “could return very quickly to an airport” if the warning light went off.

But she also cautioned there was no known connection so far between the pressurization light and Friday’s near diaster when a plug covering an unused exit door flew off the Boeing 737 MAX 9 as it traveled 16,000 feet in the air. The door plug was found by a Portland teacher in his backyard Sunday.

The pressurization light problem was revealed as Homendy provided more details on the NTSB’s investigation into the Portland, Oregon to Ontario, California flight during a press briefing. The chair described a chaotic scene when the torn off door plug left a gapping hole in the side of the plane. The cockpit door flew open leading the co pilot to lose their headset and the captain to lose part of her headset — making communication between the cockpit and the cabin nearly impossible.

A quick reference checklist also flew away, she said. “It was described as chaos, very loud between the air and everything going on around them and it was very violent when the rapid decompression and the door was expelled out of the plane,” Homendy said. The plane safely landed back at Portland International Airport after rerouting back to the airport shortly after takeoff.

Miraculously, none of the 171 passengers and six crew members aboard were injured. Homendy called the actions of the flight crew “really incredible” and “heroic.” All of the Boeing 737 MAX 9 jetliners used by Alaska Airlines and United Airlines were grounded following the incident as the Federal Aviation Administration began inspections of each one.

The two airlines are the only ones to use the MAX 9 from Boeing. While 18 of the 65 737 MAX 9 aircraft used by Alaska Airlines were put back into service Saturday, they were again pulled back Sunday after the company received a notice from the FAA that more work might be needed on the 18 planes. Hundreds of flights were canceled over the weekend as a result.

With Post wires.