FAA Levies $3.1 Million Fine Against Boeing for 2023-2024 Safety Lapses, Including Alaska Airlines Incident
FAA Levies $3.1 Million Fine Against Boeing for 2023-2024 Safety Lapses, Including Alaska Airlines Incident
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed a $3.1 million penalty against Boeing for a series of safety violations spanning from September 2023 to February 2024. The infractions include issues directly related to the January 2024 mid-air door plug blowout on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9.
The proposed fine addresses hundreds of identified quality system violations at Boeing’s 737 factory in Renton, Washington, and subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems’ facility in Wichita, Kansas. Among the more egregious findings, the FAA cited an instance where a Boeing employee allegedly pressured an internal ODA unit member to approve a 737 Max aircraft for delivery, despite the aircraft failing to meet applicable standards, in an effort to meet production schedules.
The NTSB’s 17-month investigation, which concluded in June, pointed to significant lapses in Boeing’s manufacturing and safety oversight, compounded by insufficient inspections and audits from the FAA, as root causes for the January door plug incident. While all 171 passengers and six crew members on the Alaska Airlines flight landed safely with no serious injuries, the incident triggered widespread scrutiny of Boeing’s production practices.
Boeing, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, has been given 30 days to formally respond to the FAA’s proposed civil penalty. The company issued a statement acknowledging the January 2024 accident and confirming it is reviewing the agency’s action. Boeing highlighted its ongoing commitment to enhancing safety management and quality assurance across its operations through a safety and quality plan initiated last year under FAA oversight.
This latest development adds to a challenging period for Boeing, whose 737 Max series has faced persistent issues since two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 killed 346 people. The company recently avoided criminal prosecution for allegedly misleading U.S. regulators concerning the Max before those tragedies. Separately, a June incident involving an Air India 787 resulted in 270 fatalities, though investigations into that crash have not yet linked it to design flaws in the model.
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