‘Pretty Terrifying’: Investigators Start Probe Into Blowout on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 

Federal investigators began a probe into a harrowing incident that left a gaping hole in an Alaska Airlines flight 16,000 feet in the sky, seeking the public’s help in finding the part that blew out and warning the accident could have been much worse.

Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, which is conducting the investigation, examined the stricken airplane, a Boeing 737 MAX 9, after landing in Portland, Ore., on Saturday afternoon. She described a chaotic scene with headrests and seat backs missing with clothing scattered around.