Boeing apologizes for violating NTSB agreement in 737 Max investigation

Boeing Apologizes for Disclosing Details of 737 Max 9 Door Panel Investigation, NTSB Says

Boeing has issued an apology after breaking an agreement with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) by disclosing information about an investigation into the 737 Max 9 door panel incident that occurred earlier this year. The NTSB announced on Thursday that Boeing had violated investigative regulations by providing unauthorized information and speculating about the cause of the mishap.

The incident in question occurred on January 5, when an Alaska Airlines flight lost a door panel at 16,000 feet, just 10 minutes before its scheduled arrival in Portland, Oregon. This event prompted ongoing safety concerns about other aircraft models and led to multiple federal investigations.

During a media briefing on Tuesday, a Boeing executive allegedly shared details about improvements at the company’s commercial airplanes division that had not been cleared for release by the NTSB. The agency stated that Boeing had mischaracterized the investigation by attempting to assign blame to an individual rather than focusing on determining the probable cause of the accident.

In response to the NTSB’s findings, a Boeing spokesperson expressed regret for overstepping the agency’s role and promised to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation. However, the NTSB has decided to limit Boeing’s access to investigative information moving forward, while still allowing the company to participate in the investigation as a party.

The NTSB also revealed that Boeing will be subpoenaed to appear at an investigative hearing in August, where the company’s attorneys and executives will not be able to ask questions. Additionally, the Justice Department is looking into whether Boeing violated a deferred prosecution agreement related to previous 737 Max crashes.

As both Boeing and the NTSB navigate the fallout from this breach of protocol, the aviation industry and the flying public will be closely monitoring the investigation’s progress to ensure accountability and transparency in addressing safety concerns.