"NTSB Report: Boeing Door Bolt Issue Raises Concerns for Alaska Airlines 737"

A preliminary NTSB report suggests that bolts needed to secure the exit door plug on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 were removed during a pre-delivery repair at Boeing's factory and never re-installed, leading to a rapid decompression incident in January. The report indicates that the bolts were missing before the flight, and investigators are focusing on a repair done on Boeing’s factory floor as the period when the bolts were forgotten. Both Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems are under intense scrutiny, with the FAA inspecting aircraft and records and limiting 737 deliveries as part of a voluntary production-rate freeze.