Boeing Subcontractor Scrutinized Over Door Plug Failure

Employees of Spirit AeroSystems allege poor quality control in legal filing.

Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 12:18 AM ET

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The door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 blew off as the aircraft climbed through 16,000 feet. [Courtesy: NTSB]

Key Takeaways:

A Boeing 737-9 Max 9 on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 experienced a mid-flight door plug blowout, leading to an emergency landing, the grounding of all 737 Max 9 aircraft by the FAA, and subsequent discovery of loose bolts on other planes.
Spirit AeroSystems, the subcontractor that manufactured the door plug, is facing a class-action lawsuit from former employees alleging that the company ignored repeated warnings about "sustained quality failures" and "excessive amounts of defects."
The NTSB's ongoing investigation involves examining the recovered door plug and mechanical components, and it will also explore the potential correlation between the blowout and prior maintenance write-ups for cabin pressurization warnings on the incident aircraft.
Boeing's CEO expressed serious concern and committed to full cooperation with the NTSB, while Spirit AeroSystems has also stated its support for the investigation.

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Litigation filed against a Boeing subcontractor is the latest wrinkle in the investigation of the Boeing 737-9 Max 9 that lost a door plug in mid-flight, resulting in cabin depressurization and an emergency landing. Spirit AeroSystems is facing a class action lawsuit filed in federal court in December by former employees who allege the Wichita, Kansas-based manufacturer didn’t listen when they raised concerns about product quality.

According to the investigative publication The Lever, the complaint was filed on December 19 in federal court in New York state on behalf of investors in Spirit AeroSystems. The complaint alleges that employees of the aerostructure manufacturer repeatedly warned corporate officials about “sustained quality failures” and “excessive amounts of defects,” but their concerns were ignored.