The US traffic safety authority NTSB sharply criticizes Boeing. The aircraft manufacturer would not cooperate sufficiently with the investigation into an incident in early January. A Boeing 737 Max 9 lost a fuselage part during the flight. In the last two months, Boeing has not provided the documents and information requested several times.
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According to the NTSB's preliminary report, the fuselage part that replaced a door (door plug) was missing four bolts that were important for securing it. The bolts are intended to prevent the part from moving vertically. Since they were missing, it was able to move and detach during the flight. The bolts may be removed for maintenance work and such work is normally documented.
Quality concerns after lack of documentation
During a hearing before the US Senate, Jennifer Homendy, chairwoman of the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board), explained that there were only two options. Either the documentation exists and Boeing doesn't have it, or it doesn't exist. If the latter is the case, she has “concerns regarding quality assurance, quality management and safety management systems within Boeing.” It is illegal for aircraft mechanics to make significant repairs without documenting them.
After Homendy's comments, Boeing tried to react quickly. This implies that there are no documents of a corresponding repair process. “As far as documentation goes, if the removal of the Door Plug was not documented, there would be no documentation to share,” Boeing said, according to the Seattle Times report.
Name and company complex
The NTSB also requested the names of the employees responsible for the repairs for an interview, but Boeing did not provide them either. “It is absurd that two months later we continue to not have these,” Homendy said. But immediately after the Senate hearing, Boeing said it has now provided the names of the 25 employees to the NTSB.
The fuselage of the affected Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 is manufactured by Spirit AeroSystems, a supplier that performs fuselage repairs in Renton, Washington. But Spirit not only has employees, but also employs external employees from other companies, such as Aerotek of Maryland, Launch of Illinois and Strom Engineering of Minnesota, as the NTSB investigation revealed. But Spirit itself did not inform the authorities about this, criticizes Homendy and explains: “We have called in our lawyer about this.”
Criminal process complicates investigation
The NTSB is an independent U.S. agency that investigates civil aviation accidents and other significant transportation accidents. Those interviewed as part of NTSB investigations are required by law to cooperate. But the US Department of Justice has also launched a criminal investigation into the Alaska Airlines incident, meaning those affected could refuse to testify or hire their own lawyers. Nevertheless, Homendy promised the US Senate a “very in-depth and very comprehensive” investigation.
The Boeing 737 Max 9 was en route from Portland to Ontario for Alaska Airlines on January 5, 2024. 7 of the 171 passengers and a flight attendant were slightly injured after the fuselage part flew away. The aircraft returned to the departure airport and landed safely. A week after the incident, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned of numerous production problems at Boeing.
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