Who worked on the door plug for the Boeing 737 Max-9?

Spirit Aeros systems in Malaysia.

What was the major quality mistake overlooked during the installation of the door plug?

Door plug not reinstalled correctly.

Explosive decompression caused severe cabin damage.

Minor injuries to a few passengers and crew.

The grounding of Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737 Max9 fleet in May 2023 was due to a cabin door plug issue necessary to accommodate extra passengers, showcasing the critical role of even seemingly minor components in aviation safety.
Mistrust between Boeing and Spirit AOS systems arose from quality control issues, underscoring the importance of stringent oversight and communication in ensuring the reliability and safety of aircraft components.

What caused the temporary grounding of Alaska Airlines' Boeing 737 Max-9 fleet?
Cabin door plug issue.
Who worked on the door plug for the Boeing 737 Max-9?
Spirit Aeros systems in Malaysia.
What was the major quality mistake overlooked during the installation of the door plug?
Door plug not reinstalled correctly.
How did the faulty door plug lead to a catastrophic incident during Alaska Airlines flight 1282?
Explosive decompression caused severe cabin damage.
What were the consequences of the explosive decompression during Alaska Airlines flight 1282?
Minor injuries to a few passengers and crew.

00:00

Alaska Airlines temporarily grounded its Fleet of Boeing 737 Max9 aircraft in the middle of May 2023 due to a cabin door plug issue.
The cabin door plug was necessary for the Boeing 737 Max-9 to accommodate more passengers than previous models.
Airlines had the option to deactivate the door temporarily or use a door plug if they did not need the extra exits.
Spirit Aeros systems in Malaysia worked on the door plug, which was then shipped to Spirit AOS systems in the United States for installation.
Boeing had issues with Spirit AOS systems' quality control, leading to mistrust between the two partners.
Boeing Engineers found damaged rivets near the mid exit doors on line number 8789, the aircraft used for Alaska Airlines flight 1282.
Issues with the rivets were recorded in the Common Manufacturing Execution System (CME), but Spirit employees only painted over them.
A damaged pressure seal in the door plug required further work, but a miscommunication led to the door plug not being properly secured.
The door plug was not reinstalled correctly after the fix, leading to a major quality mistake being overlooked.
Alaska Airlines flight 1282 operated with the faulty door plug, leading to a catastrophic incident on January 5th, 2024.

15:25

Aircraft had pressurization controller issues for 3 days, switching between primary and backup controllers.
Boeing 727 has three pressurization controllers: two automatic and one manual for pilots to operate the outflow valve.
Automatic controllers alternate controlling pressure using preset schedules for comfort.
Backup controller activates if primary encounters issues, pilots switch to alternate mode.
Alaska Airlines limited aircraft to Overland flights due to pressurization concerns.
Aircraft had seats for 178 passengers, but 171 boarded, including empty seats 26 Alpha and Bravo.
Captain had 12,700 hours total time, first officer had 8,300 hours, with 1,500 on Boeing 737.
Aircraft pushed back at 1750 local time for departure.
Cabin crew began service above 3,000 ft, no pressurization issues initially detected.
Door plug's bolts missing caused explosive decompression, leading to severe cabin damage and disorientation for pilots.

30:44

Pilots evaluate the situation before initiating an emergency descent, following memory items divided into first officer and captain tasks.
First officer verifies passenger oxygen masks deployment, switches on seat belt sign, engine start switches to continuous, and external lights on for visibility.
First officer sets transponder to 7700 for emergency code transmission and makes Mayday call to ATC for descent instructions.
Captain announces emergency descent to cabin crew, sets altitude on mode control panel, considers evasive maneuvers, and maintains current speed if unsure of aircraft integrity.
Passenger oxygen masks activate when pulled down, generating oxygen for about 13 minutes to aid in descent to breathable air.
Cabin crew attendants assist in communication and noise reduction, allowing pilots to focus on descending to a safe altitude.
Aircraft successfully lands on Runway 28 left in Portland after a rapid descent, with minor injuries to only a few passengers and crew.