Alaska Airlines pilot sues Boeing after panel blew out

Captain Brandon Fisher has filed a lawsuit in Oregon, saying Boeing wrongly sought to blame him and the crew after a door plug panel blew out in January 2024; the NTSB reported that four bolts securing the panel were removed and not replaced during assembly.

Captain Brandon Fisher, who was praised by the NTSB and the FAA for safely landing Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, has filed a lawsuit against Boeing in Oregon. He says Boeing tried to shift blame onto him and other crew members in earlier legal filings. The NTSB found that four bolts securing a door plug panel had been removed and not replaced during assembly. The January 2024 incident resulted in a safe return to Portland with only minor injuries reported. Key points: - NTSB and FAA officials publicly commended Captain Fisher and the flight crew after the plane landed safely. - The NTSB investigation reported that four bolts holding the door plug panel were removed and not replaced during assembly of the Boeing 737 Max 9. - Fisher's lawsuit alleges Boeing sought to deflect liability onto the crew, and notes that some passengers later sued Boeing. - The FAA fined Boeing $3.1 million over safety violations found after the incident and later allowed an increase in 737 Max production after inspectors reviewed Boeing's measures. - Seven passengers and one flight attendant sustained minor injuries; the flight carried 177 people. Summary: The filing formalizes a dispute over responsibility after an NTSB finding that assembly errors led to the panel blowout and highlights tension between a pilot praised by regulators and a manufacturer named in investigations and lawsuits. Undetermined at this time.