NTSB faults Boeing for lack of safety protocols in 737 Max door plug blowout

In this National Transportation Safety Board handout photo, plastic covers the exterior of the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max, on January 7, 2024 in Portland, Ore. A door-sized section near the rear of the plane blew off 10 minutes after takeoff on January 5 on its way to Ontario, Calif.

The nation's top safety investigators concluded that a lack of basic safety processes at Boeing, coupled with an inexperienced workforce, contributed to the door plug blowout in January 2024.

(Image credit: NTSB handout)