Alaska Airlines Pilot Files Lawsuit Against Boeing, Claims Blame Shifting in Door Blowout Incident
‘Barron’s Roundtable’ panelists Jack Hough, Elizabeth O’Brien, and Andrew Bary break down three topics investors should keep in mind.
An Alaska Airlines pilot, credited with safely landing a jet after a midair cabin panel blowout, is reportedly suing Boeing. The pilot alleges that the aircraft manufacturer attempted to shift blame for the incident onto him.
Captain Brandon Fisher filed the lawsuit on December 30 in Oregon, seeking $10 million in damages. The complaint claims that Boeing tried to make Fisher a “scapegoat” following the emergency situation.
The lawsuit arises from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9, which was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after departing Portland, Oregon, on January 5, 2024, when a cabin door plug blew out mid-flight. Remarkably, all 177 individuals 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 January 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) contributed to the incident.
Fisher’s lawsuit claims that Boeing denied responsibility while defending a related class-action lawsuit, asserting that 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 an 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 claims to have suffered emotional distress, stating that Boeing’s remarks “dramatically exacerbated the life-changing impacts” of the incident on him.
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 January 5, 2024. (NTSB / Fox News)
In August, four flight attendants from the same flight filed separate lawsuits against Boeing, alleging physical and emotional injuries, according to reports from Reuters.
Aviation officials and Boeing executives have previously commended the crew of Flight 1282 for their adept handling of the emergency situation.
A Boeing spokesperson informed 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 stated. “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 January 5, 2024. (NTSB / Fox News)
Alaska Airlines has refrained from commenting on the lawsuit but has praised the crew of Flight 1282 for their “bravery and quick-thinking” in ensuring the safety of everyone on board.
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Fisher’s attorneys, William Walsh and Richard Mummolo, did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.
FOX Business’ Bonny Chu contributed to this report.
‘Barron’s Roundtable’ panelists Jack Hough, Elizabeth O’Brien, and Andrew Bary break down three topics investors should keep in mind.
An Alaska Airlines pilot, credited with safely landing a jet after a midair cabin panel blowout, is reportedly suing Boeing. The pilot alleges that the aircraft manufacturer attempted to shift blame for the incident onto him.
Captain Brandon Fisher filed the lawsuit on December 30 in Oregon, seeking $10 million in damages. The complaint claims that Boeing tried to make Fisher a “scapegoat” following the emergency situation.
The lawsuit arises from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9, which was forced to make an emergency landing shortly after departing Portland, Oregon, on January 5, 2024, when a cabin door plug blew out mid-flight. Remarkably, all 177 individuals 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 January 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) contributed to the incident.
Fisher’s lawsuit claims that Boeing denied responsibility while defending a related class-action lawsuit, asserting that 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 an 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 claims to have suffered emotional distress, stating that Boeing’s remarks “dramatically exacerbated the life-changing impacts” of the incident on him.
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 January 5, 2024. (NTSB / Fox News)
In August, four flight attendants from the same flight filed separate lawsuits against Boeing, alleging physical and emotional injuries, according to reports from Reuters.
Aviation officials and Boeing executives have previously commended the crew of Flight 1282 for their adept handling of the emergency situation.
A Boeing spokesperson informed 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 stated. “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 January 5, 2024. (NTSB / Fox News)
Alaska Airlines has refrained from commenting on the lawsuit but has praised the crew of Flight 1282 for their “bravery and quick-thinking” in ensuring the safety of everyone on board.
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
Fisher’s attorneys, William Walsh and Richard Mummolo, did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.
FOX Business’ Bonny Chu contributed to this report.
