James Glanz, Mika Gröndahl, Helmuth Rosales, Anjali Singhvi & Mark Walker
As Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 made its ascent on January 5, few, if any, passengers knew that a panel called a “door plug” — hidden behind the interior surface of the cabin at both window seats in Row 26 — was all that stood between them and the cold evening sky. Nor did they know that when the jet reached an altitude of 14,830 feet, warning lights began flashing in the cockpit.
