The captain of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 is suing Boeing for $10 million, accusing the company of trying to shift blame onto the pilots after a dramatic midair incident last year.
In January 2024, the Boeing 737 Max made an emergency landing after a door plug — a panel covering a deactivated exit — blew out at 16,000 feet. Captain Brandon Fisher and First Officer Emily Wiprud safely brought the plane down despite what the lawsuit describes as chaotic conditions in the cockpit.
Fisher’s legal team says Boeing later attempted to “scapegoat” the crew while defending itself in related lawsuits, suggesting the aircraft had been improperly maintained or misused. The suit argues those statements were aimed at deflecting responsibility from Boeing’s own failures and caused Fisher serious emotional distress.
A National Transportation Safety Board investigation found that the aircraft left Boeing’s factory missing key bolts meant to secure the door plug. The report said the issue stemmed from undocumented repair work after damaged rivets were discovered, meaning the missing bolts were never inspected or replaced.
Spirit AeroSystems, which supplied the fuselage and is now largely owned by Boeing, is also named in the lawsuit. Boeing has declined to comment due to ongoing litigation, while Alaska Airlines said it remains grateful to the crew for their actions in keeping everyone safe.