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Alaska Airlines pilot sues Boeing, alleging blame shifting in door blowout case
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An Alaska Airlines pilot credited with safely landing a jet after a midair cabin panel blowout is reportedly suing Boeing, alleging the aircraft manufacturer attempted to shift blame for the incident onto him.
Capt. Brandon Fisher filed the lawsuit on Dec. 30 in Oregon, seeking $10 million in damages. The complaint alleges Boeing tried to make Fisher a “scapegoat” in the aftermath of the emergency.
The lawsuit stems from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9 that was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after departing Portland, Oregon, on Jan. 5, 2024, when a cabin door plug blew out mid-flight.
All 177 people on board survived.
NTSB BLAMES BOEING, FAA IN TERRIFYING ALASKA AIRLINES DOOR BLOWOUT
A plastic sheet covers an area of the fuselage of the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft outside a hangar at Portland International Airport on Jan. 8, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty Images)
In June, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that “multiple system failures” by Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) led to the incident.
Fisher’s lawsuit alleges that Boeing denied responsibility while defending a related class-action lawsuit, arguing its products were “improperly maintained or misused by persons and/or entities other than Boeing.”
“Boeing knew this statement was false at the time it was made, but made it anyway as part of its often-used post-accident strategy to blame pilots for incidents caused solely by its own actions,” the lawsuit alleges. “It was clear Boeing’s words were directed at Captain Fisher in attempt to paint him as the scapegoat for Boeing’s numerous failures.”
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ALK | ALASKA AIR GROUP INC. | 49.80 | -0.93 | -1.83% |
As a result, Fisher suffered emotional distress, adding that Boeing’s remarks “dramatically exacerbated the life-changing impacts” of the incident on the pilot, the lawsuit states.
ALASKA AIRLINES PLANE HAD DOOR PANEL BLOW OUT AHEAD OF SCHEDULED SAFETY CHECK: REPORT
A door panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX blew off mid-flight after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland International Airport on Jan. 5, 2024. (NTSB / Fox News)
In August, four flight attendants from the same flight filed separate lawsuits against Boeing, alleging physical and emotional injuries, Reuters reported.
Aviation officials and Boeing executives have previously praised the crew of Flight 1282 for their handling of the emergency.
A Boeing spokesperson told FOX Business that the company continues to implement a “comprehensive safety and quality plan,” developed with employee feedback and regulatory oversight.
“In the past two years, we’ve taken a disciplined look at every facet of our production operations,” the spokesperson said. “We developed a comprehensive plan to strengthen Boeing’s safety management, quality assurance and safety culture — and we are seeing the benefits of these actions.”
PASSENGERS SETTLE MASSIVE LAWSUIT WITH ALASKA AIRLINES AND BOEING AFTER MIDFLIGHT DOOR PLUG FAILURE
Investigators examining the door plug that blew out of an Alaska Airlines flight on Jan. 5, 2024. (NTSB / Fox News)
Alaska Airlines told FOX Business it had no comment on the lawsuit but praised the crew of Flight 1282 for their “bravery and quick-thinking” in keeping everyone on board safe.
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Fisher’s lawyers, William Walsh and Richard Mummolo, did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.
FOX Business’ Bonny Chu contributed to this report.
