“A criminal act”: Discordant FBI letter received by passengers of Boeing 737 Max whose door was torn off in flight

On January 5, a Boeing 737 Max airliner operated by Alaska Airlines, carrying 171 passengers and 6 crew members, lost an escape door mid-flight.

A few people were slightly injured and a piece of the device was found the following Sunday in a garden in Portland, United States.

“We have identified you as a potential victim of crime”

When the Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation in early March, the FBI notified passengers on the flight by mail that they might “criminal act”, According to information published on this Friday March 22, 2024 by Seattle Times, Broadcast by HuffPost.

In a document released by the latter, a police officer wrote: “I am contacting you because we have identified you as a potential victim of a crime.”

In this letter he adds: “A criminal investigation can be a lengthy process and, for a number of reasons, we cannot update you on its progress at this time.”

Bolts are missing

The first findings of the preliminary investigation, released on February 6, revealed that bolts blocking the device’s doors were missing. The Transportation Safety Agency (NTBS), in charge of the investigation, clarified that the absence of wear or deformation around certain holes. “Indicates that the four bolts preventing the cap door from moving upwards were missing before it could be moved”.

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The mid-flight loss of this “cap door” of Alaska Airlines in the United States raised questions about the reliability of Boeing planes, particularly its flagship 737 Max, the company’s best-selling model.