Captain Brandon Fisher, hailed as a hero after safely landing an Alaska Airlines jet following the sudden detachment of a door plug panel, has filed a lawsuit against Boeing. The lawsuit centers around Boeing's alleged attempts to shift blame away from the company and towards Fisher and his crew during previous legal filings.
In January 2024, during the takeoff of Flight 1282 from Portland, Oregon, a door plug panel unexpectedly flew off the aircraft, creating a hazardous situation. Thanks to Fisher's swift actions and the coordination of air traffic control, all 177 individuals aboard landed safely, with only minor injuries reported among the crew and passengers.
Fisher's legal representatives, William Walsh and Richard Mummalo, argue that Boeing's behavior suggested a betrayal of trust, especially considering Fisher's long history as a Boeing pilot. They expressed the emotional turmoil caused by the company's alleged deflection of liability, stating, 'Boeing's attempts to blame him felt like a deep, personal betrayal by a company that claimed to hold pilots in the highest regard.'
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigated the incident and found the fault lay with structural issues during vehicle assembly, implicating Boeing and its former supplier, Spirit AeroSystems. Despite previous investigations and findings supporting Fisher’s actions, Boeing had faced criticism for its internal handling of the safety issues.
The situation has escalated as Fisher’s lawsuit follows similar legal actions from four flight attendants involved in the incident, indicating growing concerns over airline safety and company accountability. While Alaska Airlines acknowledged and thanked its crew for their quick thinking during the ordeal, both they and Boeing have refrained from commenting on the lawsuit at this time.
