Boeing 737 failed 33 of 89 FAA tests, reports show
Plane maker failed check that dealt with the component that blew off a jet in January, Federal Aviation Administration investigation finds
12 March 2024 - 13:49
byUrvi Dugar and Gursimran Kaur
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Bengaluru — The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) audit of Boeing’s 737 MAX production process after a panel blew off on an Alaska Airlines jet in January failed 33 of 89 tests, The New York Times reported on Monday.
In the wide-ranging investigation, Boeing failed a check that dealt with the component that blew off the jet, known as a door plug, the report said, citing an FAA presentation viewed by the newspaper.
Boeing’s shares were down 1.4% in premarket trading on Tuesday.
Supplier Spirit AeroSystems, which makes the fuselage for the MAX, passed six of 13 audits and failed the rest, the report added.
Additionally, an audit at Spirit focusing on the door plug component found five problems and it failed the one that dealt with the installation of the component, the report said.
The audit raised concerns about the technicians who carried out the work and found that the company “failed to determine the knowledge necessary for the operation of its processes”, according to the report.
Other audits that Spirit failed included one that involved a cargo door and another that dealt with the installation of cockpit windows, it said.
Based on the FAA audit, Boeing is continuing to implement immediate changes, and is developing a plan to strengthen safety and quality, the plane maker told Reuters in an emailed statement.
The FAA and Spirit AeroSystems did not immediately reply to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Earlier in the day, US transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg said he expected Boeing to co-operate in investigations by the justice department and National Transportation Safety Board into the 737 MAX 9 midair emergency on January 5.
Meanwhile, the FAA’s Michael Whitaker said the agency and Boeing hoped to define the milestones the manufacturer should meet to increase the MAX production rate in the next 30 days.
Last week, the agency said it found “noncompliance issues in Boeing’s manufacturing process control, parts handling and storage, and product control”.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Boeing 737 failed 33 of 89 FAA tests, reports show
Plane maker failed check that dealt with the component that blew off a jet in January, Federal Aviation Administration investigation finds
Bengaluru — The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) audit of Boeing’s 737 MAX production process after a panel blew off on an Alaska Airlines jet in January failed 33 of 89 tests, The New York Times reported on Monday.
In the wide-ranging investigation, Boeing failed a check that dealt with the component that blew off the jet, known as a door plug, the report said, citing an FAA presentation viewed by the newspaper.
Boeing’s shares were down 1.4% in premarket trading on Tuesday.
Supplier Spirit AeroSystems, which makes the fuselage for the MAX, passed six of 13 audits and failed the rest, the report added.
Additionally, an audit at Spirit focusing on the door plug component found five problems and it failed the one that dealt with the installation of the component, the report said.
The audit raised concerns about the technicians who carried out the work and found that the company “failed to determine the knowledge necessary for the operation of its processes”, according to the report.
Other audits that Spirit failed included one that involved a cargo door and another that dealt with the installation of cockpit windows, it said.
Based on the FAA audit, Boeing is continuing to implement immediate changes, and is developing a plan to strengthen safety and quality, the plane maker told Reuters in an emailed statement.
The FAA and Spirit AeroSystems did not immediately reply to Reuters’ requests for comment.
Earlier in the day, US transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg said he expected Boeing to co-operate in investigations by the justice department and National Transportation Safety Board into the 737 MAX 9 midair emergency on January 5.
Meanwhile, the FAA’s Michael Whitaker said the agency and Boeing hoped to define the milestones the manufacturer should meet to increase the MAX production rate in the next 30 days.
Last week, the agency said it found “noncompliance issues in Boeing’s manufacturing process control, parts handling and storage, and product control”.
Reuters
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