- DOJ investigates Boeing explosion
- Boeing scrutinized, FAA audits
- Boeing’s safety culture questioned
US media reports indicate that prosecutors in the United States have initiated a criminal investigation into the Boeing 737 MAX mid-flight explosion involving an Alaska Airlines aircraft.
The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post reported on Saturday that the Department of Justice (DOJ) has interviewed witnesses, including aircrew, as part of its investigation into the January 5 incident in which a portion of the fuselage blasted off mid-flight.
Alaska Airlines stated that it was assisting law enforcement.
Under such circumstances, it is customary for the Department of Justice to initiate an inquiry. Alaska Airlines stated, “We are completely cooperative and do not believe we are the subject of the investigation.”
Boeing’s safety record has been scrutinised in the wake of a string of incidents, including two fatal accidents involving the Boeing 737 MAX in 2018 and 2019. The investigation coincides with this period of scrutiny.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the DOJ investigation will inform authorities’ evaluation of whether Boeing complied with the terms of a $2.5 billion settlement to avoid prosecution in relation to those accidents.
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The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Monday that “non-compliance issues in Boeing’s manufacturing process control, parts handling and storage, and product control” had been identified during an audit of the company that included a visit to the production line and interviews with employees.
Ninety days have been allotted to Boeing to develop a plan to rectify the issues, per the FAA.
A distinct FAA report, which was initiated prior to the explosion incident but published last month, identified significant deficiencies in Boeing’s safety culture, such as employees harbouring safety concerns due to apprehensions of reprisal.
Friday, in a letter to the United States Congress, Boeing stated that it was unable to locate documentation regarding the repair of the door panel that detachment caused the Alaska Airlines aircraft to crash.
According to the Seattle-based aircraft manufacturer, despite company policy mandating the creation of such documentation, it is its belief that no records pertaining to the panel were ever generated.
