A former employee of Boeing claims to have handed documentation to the FBI detailing the work done on the panel of Alaska Airlines’ 737 MAX 9. The American manufacturer had declared the non-existence of these documents.
The statements of Ed Pierson have been taken by a Senate subcommittee last Wednesday. Pierson alleges having handed federal investigators documentation confirming the work done by Boeing on the plane involved in a serious incident last January 5th.
This event once again thrust Boeing and its flagship product, the 737 MAX, into the spotlight, unleashing a crisis of confidence regarding the quality and reliability of the company’s best-selling aircraft.
Pierson stated: «There are records detailing the hectic work done on the Alaska Airlines plane, and Boeing’s corporate leaders are aware of it. I know this documentation of the Alaska plane exists, because I personally handed it over to the FBI.»
«In my opinion, this is a criminal cover-up,» he added during the hearing, alluding to the fact that an internal whistleblower at Boeing presented the documents and have been in the possession of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for months.
Incident
On January 5, 2024, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 lost a fuselage panel mid-flight, which seals an emergency exit used if the plane’s configuration exceeds 200 passengers.
As a result of the investigation carried out by the NTSB, it has been revealed that the detachment of the panel was due to the absence of four fastening bolts. These bolts were not installed by the manufacturer during the fabrication process.
Boeing has not provided documentation indicating that any work was carried out on the panel during the assembly process, according to an NTSB spokesperson. The absence of these documents represents a serious violation of the production procedures of the American manufacturer, in addition to the inability to accurately pinpoint the absence of the bolts and those responsible.
Boeing has two types of records, one formal, which lists the work done during the assembly process that required opening the door cap, and another informal, serving as an internal communication channel.
Without this record, Boeing‘s quality inspectors cannot verify the work done on the aircraft or detect the absence of components or, in this case, the bolts.
NTSB before Congress
Further conflicting statements arise regarding the registration of work on the door panel of Alaska Airlines’ 737-9. The chairwoman of the NTSB, Jennifer Homendy, testified before Congress corroborating Boeing‘s statements.
On April 10th, Homendy testified before Congress that Boeing provided all the documentation requested by the agency and that the company is aware that the work record on the aircraft does not exist.
Consequences for Boeing
The Alaska Airlines 737 MAX accident called into question the quality of Boeing‘s flagship product, leading the American manufacturer to a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice.
Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reduced the production rate of the 737 MAX family until Boeing ensured compliance with established manufacturing standards and current quality norms.
The limitation on the production of the 737 MAX is set until the last days of May. During this period, Boeing must develop an improvement plan for the production and quality control processes of the 737 MAX.
