Airlines say they found loose parts in door panels during inspections of Boeing Max 9 jets

This photo released by the ɫtv Transportation Safety Board shows the door plug from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on Monday, Jan. 8, 2024, in Portland, Ore. A panel used to plug an area reserved for an exit door on the Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliner blew out Jan. 5, shortly after the flight took off from Portland, forcing the plane to return to Portland International Airport. (ɫtv Transportation Safety Board via AP)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Federal investigators say a door panel slid up before flying off an Alaska Airlines jetliner last week, and they are looking at whether four bolts that were supposed to help hold the panel in place might have been missing when the plane took off.

The comments Monday from the ɫtv Transportation Safety Board came shortly after reported separately that they found loose parts in the panels — or door plugs — of some other Boeing 737 Max 9 jets.

The ɫtv Press. All rights reserved.

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