What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 09/30/2025 the crew of N326FL, a Boeing 737-883, flight privacy data omitted scheduled lax to phx performed an air return to lax as documented on logpage privacy data omitted. During the climb out of lax at flight level (FL) 250 the aircraft had a decompression event. The crew notified tower of the emergency and requested return to lax. After landing, during the walk around the first cabin window plug on the left side was discovered to be missing. privacy data omitted Maintenance (mx) replaced the window plug, performed a conditional and pressurization inspection as documented on logpage privacy data omitted. Additionally, privacy data omitted mx inspected the five window plugs aft of the affected window with no discrepancies noted.
K11A management opened SDR K11A2025093000352 and sra reports 159 and 164 for this event. SDR K11A2025093000352 was closed on 11/04/2025, sra report 159 was closed on 01/06/2026 and sra report 164 was closed on 01/07/2026. This office performed a review of N326FL October, November and December cass reports and found no similar window plug departure discrepancies. K11A has not recovered the departed window plug for analysis. Due to the lack of information, unable to determine the root cause of the incident or whether compliance, administrative, or legal enforcement action is appropriate for said deviation. Recommend this airworthiness incident investigation for closure.
Both pilots submitted subsequent asap reports.
Both pilots reported visual meteorological conditions (VMC) for this event.
As the FAA filed it
ON 09/30/2025 THE CREW OF N326FL, A BOEING 737-883, FLIGHT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SCHEDULED LAX TO PHX PERFORMED AN AIR RETURN TO LAX AS DOCUMENTED ON LOGPAGE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. DURING THE CLIMB OUT OF LAX AT FLIGHT LEVEL (FL) 250 THE AIRCRAFT HAD A DECOMPRESSION EVENT. THE CREW NOTIFIED TOWER OF THE EMERGENCY AND REQUESTED RETURN TO LAX. AFTER LANDING, DURING THE WALK AROUND THE FIRST CABIN WINDOW PLUG ON THE LEFT SIDE WAS DISCOVERED TO BE MISSING. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MAINTENANCE (MX) REPLACED THE WINDOW PLUG, PERFORMED A CONDITIONAL AND PRESSURIZATION INSPECTION AS DOCUMENTED ON LOGPAGE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ADDITIONALLY, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MX INSPECTED THE FIVE WINDOW PLUGS AFT OF THE AFFECTED WINDOW WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED.
K11A MANAGEMENT OPENED SDR K11A2025093000352 AND SRA REPORTS 159 AND 164 FOR THIS EVENT. SDR K11A2025093000352 WAS CLOSED ON 11/04/2025, SRA REPORT 159 WAS CLOSED ON 01/06/2026 AND SRA REPORT 164 WAS CLOSED ON 01/07/2026. THIS OFFICE PERFORMED A REVIEW OF N326FL OCTOBER, NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER CASS REPORTS AND FOUND NO SIMILAR WINDOW PLUG DEPARTURE DISCREPANCIES. K11A HAS NOT RECOVERED THE DEPARTED WINDOW PLUG FOR ANALYSIS. DUE TO THE LACK OF INFORMATION, UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT OR WHETHER COMPLIANCE, ADMINISTRATIVE, OR LEGAL ENFORCEMENT ACTION IS APPROPRIATE FOR SAID DEVIATION. RECOMMEND THIS AIRWORTHINESS INCIDENT INVESTIGATION FOR CLOSURE.
BOTH PILOTS SUBMITTED SUBSEQUENT ASAP REPORTS.
BOTH PILOTS REPORTED VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC) FOR THIS EVENT.