Preliminary Report B39M (N704AL), en-route Beaverton OR USA, 5 January 2024

Preliminary Report B39M (N704AL), en-route Beaverton OR USA, 5 January 2024

Publication info
Author
NTSB (USA)
Category
Accident Reports Airworthiness Loss of Control
Date of publication
06/02/2024

On 5 January 2024, a Boeing 737-9 which had just departed Portland was climbing through 14,800 feet when there was a loud bang followed by a rapid decompression. The cause - the loss of a fuselage plug fitted at an unused door location - was immediately obvious. An emergency was declared and a landing back at Portland was made after a total of twenty minutes airborne. The Investigation is continuing but has found that the fuselage plug involved was installed without being properly secured and noted that the aircraft had only recently been delivered new to the operator.

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