The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is taking significant action against Boeing by proposing a hefty fine of $3.1 million due to serious safety violations. These violations are notably linked to an incident involving an Alaska Airlines jetliner that experienced a critical failure when a door plug panel was lost during midflight. The FAA announced this proposed penalty on Friday, highlighting issues that occurred between September 2023 and February 2024.
This proposed penalty draws particular attention to a troubling incident in January 2024, when a door plug blew out on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 shortly after departure from Portland, Oregon. Fortunately, all 171 passengers and six crew members aboard the aircraft were unharmed, and the pilots successfully returned the plane to the airport without further incident.
In June, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded a 17-month investigation into this incident, revealing that lapses in Boeing's manufacturing processes and safety oversight, compounded by ineffective inspections and audits by the FAA, contributed to the door plug failure. The FAA's recent findings have identified hundreds of quality system violations at Boeing's 737 factory located in Renton, Washington, as well as at its subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kansas.
Among the various violations uncovered, the FAA reported that a Boeing employee exerted pressure on a member of Boeing's Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) unit—responsible for conducting specific inspections and certifications on behalf of the FAA—to approve a 737 Max aircraft. This occurred despite the ODA member's determination that the aircraft did not meet the necessary compliance standards.
Boeing, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, has 30 days to respond to the FAA's proposed civil penalty. In a statement released on Saturday, the company acknowledged the FAA's actions and indicated that it is currently reviewing the proposed fine. Boeing emphasized that it has implemented a comprehensive safety and quality plan under FAA oversight, aiming to enhance safety management and quality assurance throughout its airplane production processes.
The company expressed regret over the January 2024 door plug incident and reiterated its commitment to strengthening its safety culture and improving quality and accountability across its operations. This proactive approach comes in the wake of ongoing challenges associated with the 737 Max, which has faced scrutiny since two tragic crashes in 2018 and 2019 resulted in the loss of 346 lives.
In May, the Justice Department reached an agreement allowing Boeing to avoid criminal prosecution related to allegations of misleading U.S. regulators about the 737 Max before the two catastrophic crashes. Additionally, Boeing was in the spotlight in June following a tragic incident involving a 787 operated by Air India, which crashed shortly after takeoff, resulting in the deaths of at least 270 individuals. Investigators have not determined the cause of that crash, but they have not found any flaws associated with the 787 model, which has maintained a solid safety reputation.
