Captain Brandon Fisher has sued Boeing for $10 million, alleging the company tried to shift blame onto him after the Jan. 5, 2024 MED plug blowout aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 1282. The NTSB found Boeing’s inadequate training and oversight to be the probable cause, and the FAA later proposed a $3.1 million fine. The DOJ has an active criminal probe, and Fisher says he continues to suffer lasting physical and psychological effects.
Alaska Airlines Captain Sues Boeing for $10M, Says Company Tried to Make Him a 'Scapegoat' After 2024 Mid‑Air Blowout
NTSB via GettyThe opening is seen in the fuselage of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737-9 MAX on January 7, 2024 in Portland, Oregon.
Captain Brandon Fisher, who commanded Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 when a portion of the aircraft’s mid‑exit door (MED) plug blew out shortly after takeoff on Jan. 5, 2024, has filed a lawsuit against Boeing seeking $10 million in compensatory damages.
The complaint, filed on Dec. 30, 2025, accuses Boeing of attempting to shift blame onto the flight crew and of issuing statements that the suit calls "reprehensible and inaccurate." Fisher alleges those statements were intended to make him a scapegoat for what federal investigators later identified as manufacturing and oversight failures.
NTSB via GettyThe exterior of the Alaska Airlines flight 1282 Boeing 737-9 MAX on Jan. 7, 2024, in Portland, Oregon.
What Happened On Jan. 5, 2024
Minutes after departing Portland, Ore., en route to Ontario, Canada, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 experienced the sudden loss of an MED plug, causing rapid cabin depressurization and the loss of some passengers’ belongings out of the aircraft. All 177 people on board survived; one flight attendant was hurt when the flight deck swung open, and seven passengers sustained minor injuries.
Investigations And Findings
On June 24, 2025, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) published a report identifying the probable cause as Boeing’s failure to provide adequate training, guidance and oversight to factory workers involved in the part’s production and removal process. The NTSB also faulted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for ineffective oversight of recurring nonconformance issues.
Stephen Brashear/GettyA Boeing manufacturing plant in Everett, Washington
Following the NTSB findings, the FAA proposed a $3.1 million civil penalty against Boeing in September 2025 for related safety violations. The complaint also notes that the Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation into the incident, which the suit describes as ongoing.
Allegation: Fisher says Boeing publicly denied liability in a class‑action response and suggested its products were "improperly maintained or misused" — language the captain’s filing contends was aimed at deflecting responsibility.
Claims And Damages
The complaint names Boeing and subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. as defendants. It recounts that Fisher received an FBI letter suggesting he may have been the victim of criminally negligent conduct by Boeing and states that the incident caused "profound physical and mental repercussions" for the captain.
Fisher is seeking $10 million in compensatory damages plus court costs. Representatives for Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems did not immediately provide comment to media requests described in the filing.
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