On March 1, 2024, the Boeing 737-900ER, registration N402AS, operated by Alaska Airlines, landed at Portland Airport with an improperly closed front cargo hold door.

The medium-haul jet was on its way from Los Cabos to Portland under flight number AS1437. The flight was unremarkable and routine. The N402AS also touched down safely at Portland International Airport. Until then, the pilots had not noticed that a cargo door was not properly closed. There is also said to have been no corresponding warning message in the cockpit.

A foreman who was unloading the machine noticed that the front cargo door was not properly closed. He immediately informed the captain, who then assessed the situation for himself. According to local media reports, which have not been confirmed by Alaska Airlines, pets were said to have been carried in this area of ​​the cargo hold. It is not known whether this is true and whether the animals survived the flight.

In any case, the flight captain immediately called technical specialists because there should actually be a warning message in the cockpit if the gate is not closed properly. The plane was temporarily grounded for safety reasons. Technicians then discovered that a spring in the lever area was worn out. This was replaced and after a final check the aircraft was released again.

When contacted, Alaska Airlines confirmed the incident and expressly emphasizes that the crew did not receive a warning message. It is also ruled out that anyone could have opened the cargo gate, which is already almost inaccessible to passengers, during the flight. It is currently assumed that this could have been due to material wear on the spring. The incident was duly reported to the Civil Aviation Authority.