Alaska Airlines pilot recalls "hundreds of eyes staring" at her after mid-air blowout

Published: Sep 11, 2024 Duration: 00:03:50 Category: News & Politics

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PLACES LIKE TENNESSEE. >> JANET SHAMLIAN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>> EIGHT MONTHS AGO THE DOOR PLUG BLEW OFF OF AN ALASKA AIRLINES 737 MAX 9 JETLINER IN THE MIDDLE OF A FLIGHT. THE INCIDENT SPARKED INVESTIGATIONS INTO BOEING, THE PLANE'S MANUFACTURER. CBS NEWS SENIOR TRANSPORTATION CORRESPONDENT KRIS VAN CLEAVE SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE PILOTS ABOARD THAT FLIGHT. >> I OPENED THE FLIGHT DECK DOOR AND I SAW CALM, QUIET, HUNDREDS OF EYES STARING RIGHT BACK AT ME AND I LOOKED AT MY FLIGHT ATTENDANTS AND I SAID, "ARE YOU OKAY?" AND IN THAT RESPONSE I HEARD HOLE, FOUR, FIVE EMPTY SEATS AND INJURIES. >> Reporter: ARE YOU THINKING WHEN THEY SAID EMPTY SEATS, THAT YOU'D LOST PEOPLE? >> YES, YES. >> SHE CAN FLY A PLANE AND TELL A STORY. CBS NEWS SENIOR TRANSPORTATION CORRESPONDENT KRIS VAN CLEAVE JOINS US NOW. THIS PILOT DID SAFELY LAND THAT PLANE WITH 171 PASSENGERS AND SIX CREW MEMBERS. HOW DOES SHE REACT TO BEING CALLED A HERO? >> Reporter: AS YOU WON'T BE SURPRISED, SHE DEFLECTED THAT A LITTLE BIT, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY BEEN THE CONVERSATION. THERE WERE TWO PILOTS IN THAT COCKPIT, THE CAPTAIN AND FIRST OFFICER HERE, THAT WERE UNAWARE THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE AIRPLANE. THEY KNEW THE PLANE HAD DEPRESSURIZED AND THAT IN AND OF ITSELF WAS VERY DISRUPTING. THEY DESCRIBED IT AS AN EXPLOSION IN HER EARS WHEN THE DEPRESSURIZATION HAPPENED, BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS A HOLE UNTIL AFTER THEY WERE ON THE GROUND. WHAT THEY DID KNOW WAS THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND THEY NEEDED TO GET THE PLANE DOWN QUICKLY. HERE'S HOW SHE RESPONDED TO THAT VERY QUESTION. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CALL YOU AND THE CAPTAIN HEROES. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT? >> YOU'RE RIGHT. MY CAPTAIN IS A HERO, SAME WITH THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS, SAME WITH ALL THE PERSONNEL THAT WAS THERE TO SUPPORT US THAT DAY AND THAT SHOULD BE CELEBRATED. >> Reporter: THAT'S REALLY THE IMPORTANT THING HERE IS EVERYBODY GOT OFF THAT AIRPLANE. IT WAS AN ALMOST FULL AIRPLANE, TOO. THE FACT THAT THERE WAS NO ONE SEATED RIGHT NEXT TO WHERE THAT PANEL BLEW OUT REMAINS A MIRACULOUS EVENT REALLY. >> INDEED. ANY OTHER DETAILS THAT SHE TOLD YOU ABOUT THAT HARROWING MOMENT? >> Reporter: WHAT STANDS OUT TO HER IN TELLING THIS STORY, JUST HOW LOUD IT W COCKPIT. THEY FELT IT IN THEIR EARS. SHE'S HAVING TROUBLE HEARING THE CAPTAIN. THEY CAN'T REALLY COMMUNICATE WITH THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS. IN MANY WAYS THEY WERE FLYING BLIND TO WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO THEM ON THE AIRPLANE. SHE SAID THEIR OXYGEN MASK STARTED TO FOG UP RIGHT AS THEY WERE LINING THE PLANE UP TO LAND. IT WAS CERTAINLY A HARROWING EXPERIENCE. >> THAT'S WHEN ALL THAT TRAINING GOING INTO PREPARING FOR. REMIND US WHAT INVESTIGATORS HAVE FOUND LOOKING INTO THIS INCIDENT. >> Reporter: THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING, BUT WE KNOW SO FAR IN THEIR INVESTIGATION THEY ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS AROUND THIS AIRPLANE BECAUSE IT APPEARS THAT THE PLANE LEFT THE FACTORY WITHOUT THE FOUR BOLTS THAT HOLD THAT DOOR PANEL IN PLACE AND ULTIMATELY, AS THE NTSB IS TRYING TO SORT OUT EXACTLY WHY THAT HAPPENED, IT REALLY DOES APPEAR THAT THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING MISTAKE THAT PUT A NEARLY BRAND-NEW AIRPLANE IN A SITUATION WHERE A PANEL LITERALLY FLEW OFF THE PLANE

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