The National Transportation Safety Board has allowed the media to see the actual door plug that blew out during an Alaska Airlines Flight in January.
The look behind the curtain at the NTSB lab was given to members of the media a week before a hearing is scheduled to look into the cause of the incident on Flight 1282, Gray DC reported.
The investigative hearing is scheduled to last two days next week.
The door plug was found in the backyard of a home near Portland, Oregon after it blew off the flight between Portland and Ontario International Airport in California.
A plug is used to fill holes that are for extra doors when a plane doesn’t have enough seats to require additional emergency evacuation exits, The Associated Press reported. They look like normal windows from inside the plane.
They only are opened during maintenance or inspections. The door plug in question was installed on the Boeing 737 Max at a Spirit AeroSystems plant in Kansas but was removed by Boeing to repair damaged rivets, the AP reported.
The NTSB had determined that four bolts were missing when it was reinstalled, Gray DC reported.
Photos: NTSB displays door plug that blew out from Alaska Airlines flight
Boeing Alaska Airlines The door plug from the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282's Boeing 737-9 MAX airplane is shown at the National Transportation Safety Board laboratory, in Washington, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) Boeing Alaska Airlines The bottom section of door plug from the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282's Boeing 737-9 MAX airplane is shown at the National Transportation Safety Board laboratory, in Washington, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) Boeing Alaska Airlines The top section of the door plug from the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282's Boeing 737-9 MAX airplane is shown at the National Transportation Safety Board laboratory, in Washington, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The door plug is showing damaged bolts on the top right corner. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) Boeing Alaska Airlines The door plug from the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282's Boeing 737-9 MAX airplane is shown at the National Transportation Safety Board laboratory, in Washington, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The door plug is showing some signs of wearing out, scratches caused by rubbing against hard surfaces and a gap on the top section above the window (front bottom of the picture). (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) Boeing Alaska Airlines The top section of the door plug from the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282's Boeing 737-9 MAX airplane is shown at the National Transportation Safety Board laboratory, in Washington, Tuesday, July 30, 2024. The door plug is showing damaged bolts on the top right corner. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) Boeing 737 Max 9 incident Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9, can be seen on Jan. 7, 2024, as the National Transportation Safety Board investigates an incident that left the plane with a gaping hole in its fuselage. (National Transportation Safety Board) Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 This Jan. 7, 2024, image from the National Transportation Safety Board shows a hole in the fuselage of a Boeing 737 Max 9 plane that was forced to make an emergency landing at Oregon's Portland International Airport on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. (NTSB) NTSB Investigates Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 After Section Of Plane Blew Off During Flight PORTLAND, OREGON - JANUARY 7: In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, an opening is seen in the fuselage of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737-9 MAX on January 7, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the Boeing 737-9 MAX plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Photo by NTSB via Getty Images) (Handout/Getty Images) Alaska Airlines 737-9 MAX update In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, an opening is seen in the fuselage of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737-9 MAX on January 7, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the Boeing 737-9 MAX plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Photo by NTSB via Getty Images) (NTSB/Getty Images) This image from video provided by Elizabeth Le shows passengers near the damage on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9, Flight 1282, which was forced to return to Portland International Airport on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. (Elizabeth Le via AP) (Elizabeth Le/AP) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, plastic covers the exterior of the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9, on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Handout/NTSB via Getty Images) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, a door plug found near Portland, Oregon after it fell from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 midflight on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024, can be seen. (NTSB) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, an opening is seen in the fuselage of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9, on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Handout/NTSB via Getty Images) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, plastic covers the exterior of the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9 on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Photo by NTSB via Getty Images) (Handout/NTSB via Getty Images) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, a member of the NTSB examines a hole left in the fuselage of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Portland, Oregon after a door plug was blown off midflight. (NTSB) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, members of the NTSB examine the hole in the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9, on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Handout/NTSB via Getty Images) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, oxygen masks hang from the fuselage as members of the NTSB examine Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9, on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Handout/NTSB via Getty Images) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, investigators can be seen inspecting a door plug found near Portland, Oregon after it fell from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 midflight on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. (NTSB) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, investigators can be seen inspecting a door plug found near Portland, Oregon after it fell from Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 midflight on Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. (NTSB) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, members of the NTSB examine the hole in the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9, on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Handout/NTSB via Getty Images) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, plastic covers the exterior of the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9, on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Handout/NTSB via Getty Images) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, members of the NTSB speak in the cockpit while examining Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9, on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Handout/NTSB via Getty Images) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, an opening is seen in the fuselage of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9, on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Handout/NTSB via Getty Images) NTSB investigates after door plug blown off Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, plastic covers the exterior of the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, a Boeing 737 Max 9, on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Handout/NTSB via Getty Images) The door plug from Alaska Flight 1282 (NTSB) The door plug from Alaska Flight 1282 (NTSB) The door plug from Alaska Flight 1282 (NTSB) NTSB investigators on Alaska Flight 1282 (NTSB) NTSB investigators on Alaska Flight 1282 (NTSB) NTSB investigators on Alaska Flight 1282 (NTSB) NTSB investigators on Alaska Flight 1282 (NTSB) NTSB investigators on Alaska Flight 1282 (NTSB) NTSB investigators on Alaska Flight 1282 (NTSB) NTSB investigators on Alaska Flight 1282 (NTSB) Boeing Timeline PORTLAND, OREGON - JANUARY 7: In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, an opening is seen in the fuselage of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737-9 MAX on January 7, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the Boeing 737-9 MAX plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Photo by NTSB via Getty Images) (Handout/Getty Images) NTSB Investigates Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 After Section Of Plane Blew Off During Flight PORTLAND, OREGON - JANUARY 7: In this National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) handout, NTSB Investigator-in-Charge John Lovell examines the fuselage plug area of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737-9 MAX on January 7, 2024 in Portland, Oregon. A door-sized section near the rear of the Boeing 737-9 MAX plane blew off 10 minutes after Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 took off from Portland, Oregon on January 5 on its way to Ontario, California. (Photo by NTSB via Getty Images/Getty Images)
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