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The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has found multiple problems with Boeing's production practices following a six-week audit of Boeing following the Jan. 5 accident in which a door plug exploded on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9. discovered.
“The FAA has identified nonconformance issues in Boeing's manufacturing process controls, parts handling and storage, and product controls,” the FAA said in a press release, without immediately providing further details.
Another report released before the door plug scandal and released last month highlighted concerns about Boeing's safety, including a disconnect between management and employees and fears of retaliation among employees for reporting safety concerns. It turns out that there is a “gap'' in culture.
The FAA said the findings of both this audit and another report should be part of Boeing's quality improvement plan. It gave Boeing 90 days to develop a plan to resolve the quality issues.
Boeing said it is prepared to do what it takes to improve quality.
“We have a clear picture of what needs to be done. Transparency has been throughout all these discussions,” the company said in a statement. “Boeing intends to develop a comprehensive action plan with measurable criteria to demonstrate significant change in management.” [Michael] Mr. Whitaker and the FAA's demands. Our Boeing leadership team is committed to meeting this challenge. ”
This is not the first time Boeing has made such a promise since the Alaska Airlines scandal. In January, Boeing CEO David Calhoun acknowledged that Boeing needed to improve its quality control.
“Regardless of the ultimate conclusion, Boeing will be held accountable for what happened,” Calhoun said in comments to the company's investors in January. “This type of incident should not happen on a plane leaving our factory. We must do better for our customers and their passengers.”
The audit also included Boeing's main supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, which makes products such as the fuselage of the Boeing 737 Max 9 jet. Although it did not provide details, the FAA said it had discovered multiple instances in which the companies allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements.
Boeing once owned most of Spirit's businesses, but spun them off into a separate company in 2005. Boeing said Friday it is in talks to potentially reacquire Spirit.
Asked for comment on the report, a Spirit spokesperson said, “We are in communication with Boeing and the FAA regarding appropriate corrective action.”
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker told members of Congress during a hearing last month that more than 20 FAA inspectors are participating in an audit of the Boeing 737 factory in Renton, Washington. The agency is not the only government agency investigating Boeing's quality issues.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the incident aboard the Alaska Airlines flight. According to a preliminary report on the incident, four bolts needed to hold the door plug in place were missing when the plane left the Boeing factory last October to be delivered to Alaska Airlines. It turned out that The NTSB has not yet determined who is responsible for the bolt shortage.
Additionally, the Justice Department will consider whether a defect found after a door plug explosion on a 737 Max plane last month violates a deferred prosecution agreement Boeing signed with the government three years ago after two Max fatalities. Officials have revealed that. Familiar with investigations. The investigation could lead to criminal charges against Boeing.
The final results of this audit will likely form the basis of future Congressional hearings against Boeing.
This Wednesday, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy is scheduled to provide an update on the investigation into Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 to the Senate committee that oversees aviation. The chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee said a hearing involving Boeing executives will be held after senators hear the latest findings.
This story has been updated to reflect additional reporting and context.
