Alaska Air Flight 1282 lost a door plug at 16,000 feet
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The National Transportation Safety Board held another press conference Monday night following another day of investigation into the accident aboard Alaska Air Flight 1282.
Chair Jennifer Homendy will provide updates and answer questions about the door plug that blew off at 16,000 feet shortly after takeoff from Portland on January 5.
This is the third briefing by NTSB officials. It began around 8:15 p.m.
Watch the NTSB press conference in the video player below
During the first briefing on Saturday, Homendy urged the public to look for the door plug in an area around Barnes Road in the Cedar Hills neighborhood. On Sunday, she reported Bob, a Portland school teacher, found the door plug in his backyard. Others found 2 cellphones connected to passengers on the flight.
She also said the pressurization warning system on the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 that lost a door plug shortly after takeoff from Portland went off 3 times within a month, including the day before the accident on Flight 1282.
Homendy said the crews reported it each time, the system was tested and reset.
“We have record they were tested and then reset by maintenance personnel,” Homendy said.
Alaska Airlines decided to restrict the aircraft from long flights over water so the plane “could return very quickly to an airport” if the warning light reappeared, Homendy said.
KOIN 6 News will have more information later in the night.