Part 6/10:
Unbeknownst to the experienced crew or the 171 passengers aboard, the previously invisible flaw in the aircraft’s structure was beginning to destabilize. Up to cruising altitude, pressurization checks revealed no immediate issues. However, disturbances in the cabin were triggered as the aircraft climbed to 23,000 feet—a situation exacerbated by the absence of crucial bolts that secured the left mid-exit door plug in place.
Suddenly, with an ear-splitting bang, the door plug engaged in a violent motion as the stop pads failed to contain it. The ensuing explosive decompression tore the wall apart, forcing debris and air out of the opening, destabilizing the aircraft catastrophically.