Alaska Airlines suffered a new major safety problem caused by an aircraft door. In this case it was the front cargo door of a Boeing 737-900ER (registration: N402AS). It was bent and slightly ajar when the aircraft landed in Portland. Flight 1437, operated on 01MAR24, took from Los Cabos, Mexico to Portland. The incident became officially known only this weekend. Initial reports indicate that pets were on board the jetliner, traveling in the cargo compartments of the aircraft. The pets belonged to passengers with no harm or injuries reported.
Alaska Airlines confirmed the incident in a statement issued last Friday (08MAR24), saying: “Upon landing at PDX on March 1, Alaska Airlines flight 1437 was discovered to have the forward cargo door unsealed.” The release further reads: “There was no indication to the crew that the door was unsealed during flight and all indications point to the door partially opening after landing. Our maintenance teams inspected the aircraft, replaced a spring in the door, tested the door, and reentered it into service.”
The open cargo door incident has sparked safety concerns, particularly following a separate incident with Alaska Airlines shortly before where passengers on another flight reported cabin fumes. Before that, in another case, one of the airline’s Boeing 737 MAX 9’s mid-cabin exit door blew out en route with no pax injured because the seats next to the door were left empty.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into the Boeing jetliner blowout that left a gaping hole on the carrier’s plane this January.
Citing documents and people familiar with the matter, the Wallstreet Journal said investigators have contacted some passengers and crew — including pilots and flight attendants — who were on the 05JAN24 flight. The Boeing MAX 9 aircraft operated by Alaska Airlines suffered the blowout seven minutes after takeoff from Portland, Oregon, forcing the pilots to make an emergency landing. Boeing has been under increased scrutiny.
