PORTLAND, Ore. – An Alaska Airlines flight had a terrifying experience on Friday when a window and a chunk of its fuselage blew out midair, causing the plane to make an emergency landing in Oregon. The incident left a gaping hole in the side of the airplane next to passenger seats, as shown in a photo sent to KATU-TV by a passenger.
Thankfully, it was reported that there were no immediate injuries, and the airline is currently investigating the cause of the incident. “Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, experienced an incident this evening soon after departure,” the company said in a statement. “The aircraft landed safely back at Portland International Airport with 174 guests and six crew members.”
The flight, which departed from Portland at 4:52 p.m. PST, had to return just before 5:30 p.m. after reaching a height of 16,000 feet and then beginning to descend. Photos taken by passengers revealed the extent of the damage, with a large section of the airplane’s fuselage missing.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are both involved in the investigation, and updates will be shared as they become available.
It’s a relief to know that the plane landed safely, and we hope to learn more about the cause of this frightening incident soon.
This is a concerning incident, and the safety of passengers should always be the top priority. #EmergencyLanding
Bad punctuation and grammar, disagree:
The airline should have conducted proper maintenance checks to prevent such incidents from happening. This shows negligence on their part. #SafetyFirst