FAA opens new investigation after Boeing falsifies safety reports
PRESS RELEASE
14/05/2024
FAA OPENS NEW INVESTIGATION AFTER BOEING FALSIFIES SAFETY REPORTS
QUESTIONS regarding Boeing aircraft safety are under investigation again. The FAA has opened an investigation into reports of falsified inspections on Boeing’s 787 aircraft at their South Carolina plant. It was reported in April that testing was not completed after failure to meet safety requirements.
Boeing engineers have explained that no employee misconduct resulted in a flight safety issue. The company alerted the FAA after it was reported that several employees failed to complete required testing. Scott Stocker, Boeing’s 787 program lead, addressed the issue.
“After receiving the report, we quickly reviewed the matter and learned that several people had been violating Company policies by not performing a required test, but recording the work as having been completed.
“Swift and serious corrective action with multiple teammates,” is being taken, Stocker said.
The FAA is requiring the testing to be completed, which will slow the delivery of jets to the South Carolina plant, for the final assembly.
The FAA is also requiring Boeing to put a plan in place to test the planes that are already flying.
This new investigation comes after Boeing has been under increasing pressure to address safety concerns in recent years. Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft have seen an increase in accidents due to faulty manufacturing. In January, a Boeing flight experienced a door blowout midflight when a door plug failed. Investigation into the door plug has shown manufacturing failures. The door was missing crucial bolts.
In 2018 and 2019, Boeing had 2 deadly crashes involving their 737 Max aircraft. Each of those crashes has been attributed to a faulty automated flight-control system, called MCAS. Pilots were not trained on the new system and didn’t even know about it. Unfortunately, 346 people were killed in those crashes.
Boeing has recently been under increased scrutiny from Congress when a Boeing whistleblower, Sam Salehpour, alleged that Boeing was taking manufacturing and safety shortcuts to turn out the 787s as quickly as possible. He alleged that faulty manufacturing and Boeing’s indifference were putting the public at risk. The FAA has since increased inspection requirements on all Boeing aircraft.
“The FAA is investigating whether Boeing completed the inspections and whether company employees may have falsified aircraft records” the agency said.
ENDS
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https://apnews.com/article/faa-boeing-787-inspection-investigation-4b6ac28d8ab0d7687112e2cbb7bf6e00