Alaska Airlines Pilot Sues Boeing Over Door Plug Incident

Captain Brandon Fisher has initiated legal proceedings against Boeing, seeking $10 million in damages related to the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 incident. The lawsuit, filed in an Oregon court, asserts that the aircraft manufacturer attempted to shift blame onto the flight crew following the midair loss of a door plug.

The incident occurred in January 2024 when the Boeing 737 Max lost a panel shortly after taking off from Portland. Fisher and First Officer Emily Wiprud successfully executed an emergency landing. The legal complaint alleges that Boeing’s public statements regarding liability in a separate class-action lawsuit were directed at Fisher, causing him significant emotional distress. Spirit AeroSystems is also named as a defendant in the suit.

The lawsuit stems from the events of January 5, 2024, aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 1282. The aircraft, a Boeing 737 Max, had departed from Portland bound for Ontario, California. At approximately 16,000 feet, the plane lost a door plug—a panel designed to cover a deactivated emergency exit.

In the wake of the depressurization, Captain Fisher and First Officer Emily Wiprud declared an emergency. They initiated a descent to below 10,000 feet to ensure adequate oxygen levels for the crew and passengers. The lawsuit highlights the chaotic conditions in the cockpit, describing the gaping hole in the aircraft's left side.

Fisher’s attorneys argue that the outcome could have been catastrophic without the pilots' composure. The suit states: "But for Captain Fisher's heroism and immense display of composure under pressure, the outcome would have been catastrophic." It further notes that Fisher and Wiprud "executed a safe emergency landing despite chaotic conditions."

Following the incident, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted an investigation. Their findings revealed that the aircraft had left Boeing's factory missing essential bolts required to secure the door plug.

The investigation detailed a chain of manufacturing oversights:

• The fuselage arrived from Spirit AeroSystems with damaged rivets.
• Boeing workers removed the door plug to repair the damage.
• The workers failed to reinstall the securing bolts.
• The work was not properly documented, bypassing necessary inspections.

These findings form the backdrop of the legal dispute. Spirit AeroSystems is named as a defendant in Fisher's suit. In December, Boeing completed its acquisition of most of Spirit, aiming to integrate operations and gain greater control over its supply chain.

The core of Captain Fisher's lawsuit is the accusation that Boeing attempted to deflect blame. The complaint alleges that while defending a class-action lawsuit related to the incident, Boeing denied liability by claiming its products were "improperly maintained or misused by persons and/or entities other than Boeing."

Fisher’s suit contends that these statements were specifically aimed at him. "It was clear Boeing's words were directed at Captain Fisher in attempt to paint him as the scapegoat for Boeing's numerous failures," the lawsuit states.

The suit claims that Boeing's comments "dramatically exacerbated the life-changing impacts" of the incident, causing Fisher severe emotional distress. However, an internal memo from Stan Deal, then-CEO of Boeing's commercial airplanes division, reportedly commended the flight crew, stating: "We commend the pilots and cabin crew of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 for their actions to safely land the plane."

Boeing has declined to comment on the pending litigation.