Boeing denied responsibility for the 2024 accident.
Two years ago, an Alaska Airlines flight from Portland to Ontario, California, experienced a midair incident. A left-side door plug, which sealed an unused emergency exit, blew off shortly after takeoff. The plane landed safely, and everyone on board survived. The crew’s actions under extenuating circumstances were widely praised.
Boeing, however, did not fare as well. The aircraft manufacturer has faced multiple lawsuits from passengers and crew members since the blowout, and the most recent filing comes from the pilot of the flight.
Captain Brandon Fisher, who was widely hailed as a hero, has filed a $10 million lawsuit against Boeing. He alleges the American plane manufacturer falsely blamed him for the 2024 door plug blowout.
In response to a class-action lawsuit filed by passengers in 2024, Boeing denied liability for damages, stating it could not be held responsible for injuries because its products were “improperly maintained, or misused by persons and/or entities other than Boeing.”
The pilot’s lawsuit alleges the statement was directed at Captain Fisher to “paint him as the scapegoat for Boeing’s numerous failures.” His attorneys also wrote that Boeing’s comments castigated the captain rather than praising him, and that the blame felt like a personal betrayal. The lawsuit further states, “Boeing’s comments dramatically exacerbated the life-changing impacts that this incident caused Captain Fisher.”
Continue Reading Article After Our Video
Recommended Fodor’s Video
Alaska Airlines said, “We have no comment on the lawsuit but remain grateful to our crewmembers for the bravery and quick thinking that they displayed on Flight 1282 in ensuring the safety of all on board.” It is not known whether Captain Fisher is still employed by the airline.
The manufacturer has since acknowledged its mistake and apologized. In an internal memo, former CEO Stan Deal told employees, “We commend the pilots and cabin crew of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 for their actions to safely land the plane.”
This is not the first lawsuit Boeing has faced over the incident. Last year, flight attendants on the flight sued the company for injuries and emotional distress. Also last year, three passengers who had filed a $1 billion lawsuit against Boeing settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
Related: Crash Victims’ Families Demand Boeing Be Prosecuted for the ‘Deadliest Corporate Crime in U.S. History’
On Jan. 6, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 — carrying 172 passengers, two pilots and four crew members — had climbed to 16,000 feet when the door plug blew off about six minutes into the flight. The aircraft experienced immediate decompression, and a gaping hole was left in the fuselage.
No passengers were seated immediately next to the door plug, a fortunate circumstance given the force of the air rushing out of the aircraft. Passengers lost personal belongings, and a few sustained injuries. The pilots quickly descended to 10,000 feet to ensure sufficient oxygen in the cabin and then conducted a safe landing.
Following the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft worldwide. Alaska Airlines also inspected its fleet of the same model. A month later, the National Transportation Safety Board found that four bolts used to secure the door plug were missing from the aircraft. Investigators also determined there was no documentation indicating the door plug had been removed or that bolts needed to be installed.