US residents asked to help find Boeing emergency exit door that broke off in flight

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has asked US residents to help find the emergency exit door of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 that broke off during a flight on the night of January 6.

Investigators are also awaiting the publication of all video footage that was taken by passengers from the cabin at the time of the accident, RBC reports, citing Bloomberg.

In the search for the missing hatch, local law enforcement agencies are also being assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

"We determined it was an accident and not an intentional incident," the agency quotes NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy as saying. - We are very fortunate it didn't end in something more tragic."

According to her, the consequences of the accident could have been much worse if it had occurred not during the aircraft's climb, but "when passengers and crew were walking around the cabin," The Wall Street Journal quoted her as saying. Khomendi specified that there was no one on the two seats closest to the blocked door - 26 A and B.

The Wall Street Journal specifies that "the aircraft fragment that broke off during Friday's [January 5] flight was a panel covering an extra emergency exit on the MAX 9." According to the Journal, it is "used by airlines such as Alaska Airlines, whose planes have fewer seats and don't need the extra exit." A second door panel on the opposite side of the Boeing 737 MAX 9 remained intact, Homendi said.

The NTSB chairperson said the flight data and flight recorders will be sent to the relevant laboratory for analysis on January 7. The NTSB's investigation into the incident, she said, will include an analysis of the Federal Aviation Administration's oversight of Boeing Co. and the manufacturing process for the type of aircraft.

The emergency landing of Alaska Airlines passenger flight 1282 to Ontario (California) at Portland (Oregon) airport on January 6 was reported by NBC. Almost immediately after takeoff, a section of the fuselage fell out of the airliner and the crew declared depressurisation. It had 171 passengers and six crew members on board. The aircraft managed to land at the airport of departure, no one was injured as a result of the incident.

Alaska Airlines said it was investigating the causes of the incident. The press service of Boeing, in turn, said it was working "to collect additional information" and contact with Alaska Airlines. Some of the airliners of this model were temporarily taken out of service.