In a surprising turn of events, a door plug that was ripped off an Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight has been found in the backyard of a Portland school teacher. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced the crucial discovery two days after the Boeing 737 MAX 9 was forced to make an emergency landing due to the missing piece, which left a gaping hole in the aircraft and threatened the safety of the more than 170 people on board.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy expressed her relief at the finding, stating, "We are really pleased that Bob found this." However, she did not disclose Bob's full name or the address where the missing equipment was located. It remains unknown whether the door plug was intact or damaged.

Residents around Oregon also found other items from the plane, including two cell phones that were sucked out of the aircraft during the rapid depressurization caused by the hole. Astonishingly, one of the phones remained completely intact and open to an Alaska Airlines flight 1282 passenger's baggage claim email. The flight was en route to Ontario, California from Portland International Airport, with 171 passengers and six crew members on board.

The pilots were forced to quickly return to the Portland airport as belongings and chair headrests were sucked out of the aircraft and oxygen masks dropped for terrified passengers. Homendy described the scene as chaotic, with loud noises and violent movements due to the rapid decompression and the expulsion of the door from the plane.

The NTSB had previously urged residents and business owners to check their doorbell footage, search their backyards, and inspect their roofs for any signs of the door plug or other items from the Boeing 737. The agency emphasized that analyzing the plug would help determine why it failed.

Homendy expressed her gratitude to the flight crew for their handling of the dangerous situation and for ensuring the safety of everyone on board the damaged plane. She also mentioned that the cockpit voice recorder from the Boeing 737 MAX 9 was overwritten and no longer contained any data due to the delay in its retrieval.

The incident has led to cancellations of flights on this model of plane, causing inconvenience for passengers. The FAA has temporarily grounded 171 Boeing MAX 9 jets equipped with the same panel as the Alaska Airlines plane. The agency issued this directive after the emergency landing caused by the gap in the fuselage.

The investigation into the incident will involve analyzing the recovered door plug and other aspects of the event. However, Homendy could not commit to releasing photos of the blown-off part immediately, as they are considered evidence. The NTSB will continue its efforts to understand the cause of the accident and improve aviation safety.