The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has determined that Boeing’s failure to follow critical safety protocols directly led to the dramatic mid-exit door (MED) plug blowout on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 earlier this year.

The NTSB has released the preliminary report for its ongoing investigation into the runway incursion incident at Nashville International Airport (BNA) on September 12, 2024, involving an Alaska Airlines and a Southwest Airlines flight. The report provides a detailed event timeline, highlighting potential communication missteps between air traffic controllers and the involved aircraft.

On Thursday (12), an Alaska Airlines flight narrowly avoided a potential runway collision with a Southwest Airlines plane at Nashville International Airport. Alaska Airlines flight AS369, bound for Seattle, was cleared for takeoff but had to abort quickly when Southwest Airlines flight WN2029 was cleared to cross the runway.

United Airlines reported the discovery of loose bolts on the door plugs of their Boeing 737 Max 9 jets, which have been grounded since the midair blowout incident involving Alaska Airlines. Both Alaska Airlines and United Airlines, major US operators of the Boeing 737 Max 9, had to cancel 342 flights on Monday due to the ongoing grounding, causing significant disruptions to their schedules.

Alaska Airlines temporarily grounded its Boeing 737-9 Max fleet following an emergency landing in Oregon on Friday. The incident, involving flight AS1282 from Portland to Ontario, California, occurred around 5 p.m. PT when the crew reported a pressurization issue, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).