Alaska Airlines pilot recounts moment door blew off mid-air [Video]

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – In an exclusive interview with CBS News, the pilot of the Alaska Airlines flight that had a door blow off mid-air in Portland shared the details of those terrifying moments for the first time.

Pilot Emily Wiprud had been the person to alert staff to “declare an emergency” in January when the flight heading to Ontario, Calif. suddenly needed to turn around after reaching an altitude of 16,000 feet.

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During the interview, Wiprud said she had felt an explosion and was forced forward with her headset ripped off. The explosion — unbeknownst to the pilot — had been caused by Flight 1282’s door plug, which had apparently been missing the bolts necessary to keep it in place.

The flight returned to PDX within a half hour of departing from the airport, but Wiprud said she had no idea there was a …