US authorities are sanctioningU.S.oeing for disclosing information regarding a federal probe into a door plug explosion that left a gaping hole in a Boeing 737 Max 9.
On Thursday, the National Transportation Safety Board said that Boeing “blatantly violated” the agency’s investigative regulations and a signed agreement by disclosing non-public investigative information to the media and speculating about possible causes of a door plug blowout on a Boeing passenger jet in Portland, Oregon, on January 5.
US Sanctions Boeing For Sharing Information About 737 Max 9 Investigation
During the incident, a panel blocking a slot for an auxiliary emergency door blew off an Alaska Airlines Max 9. The pilots landed safely, with no injuries.
During a media briefing on Tuesday, the NTSB stated that a Boeing executive presented the media with non-public investigative information concerning the Alaska Airlines incident that the agency had yet to review or clear for distribution. According to the NTSB, Boeing presented the NTSB’s investigation as a search for the individual responsible for the door plug work, while the agency stated that it is focused on the probable cause of the accident, not on assigning blame or assessing liability.
Boeing issued a statement on Thursday expressing its regret that some of the statements made during the media briefing went beyond the NTSB’s function as the provider of investigative information.
“We apologize to the NTSB and stand ready to answer any questions as the agency continues its investigation,” according to the statement.
The NTSB stated that, given its previous actions, Boeing will not have access to the investigative evidence produced by the agency about the Alaska Airlines incident, but it will retain its party status in the investigation.
The NTSB lacks enforcement jurisdiction and cannot impose a fine on Boeing. While the agency could have removed Boeing’s party status, the NTSB may have felt it was more vital to keep Boeing as a party to the investigation due to its workers’ knowledge.
US Sanctions Boeing For Sharing Information About 737 Max 9 Investigation
The NTSB stated that any necessary records may be subpoenaed throughout the inquiry. It will also summon Boeing before an inquiry hearing in Washington, D.C., on August 6 and 7. The agency stated that, unlike other parties, Boeing will not be able to interrogate other participants.
The NTSB said it will work with the Department of Justice’s Fraud Division to provide information about Boeing’s recent unlawful investigative information releases connected to the 737 Max 9 door plug probe.
In May, the Justice Department informed a federal judge that Boeing had broken a settlement that let the company avoid criminal prosecution following two fatal 737 Max crashes.
After Max jets crashed in Indonesia in 2018 and Ethiopia in 2019, killing 346 people each, the FAA and other agencies grounded the aircraft for more than a year and a half.
US Sanctions Boeing For Sharing Information About 737 Max 9 Investigation
The Justice Department will now determine whether to press charges against Boeing. Prosecutors will tell the court how they want to proceed by July 7, the department stated in May.
Boeing has faced significant criticism. During a contentious Senate hearing earlier this month, CEO David Calhoun defended the company’s safety record while members accused him of prioritizing profits before safety, failing to safeguard whistleblowers, and even receiving excessive compensation.
Calhoun has faced calls to quit immediately, although he has no plans. Calhoun has already stated that he will step down by the end of 2024.
SOURCE – (AP)
