Summary

  • The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced that it sanctioned Boeing after one of the manufacturer’s executives disclosed non-public information.
  • While Boeing complied with the NTSB’s inquiry, the manufacturer will lose access to any new investigative materials related to the January Alaska Airlines flight AS1282 incident.
  • The NTSB highlighted that the media briefing, where the information was disclosed, occurred at the same time as its five-member board was in Ohio, determining the probable cause and contributing factors of a train derailment.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has sanctioned Boeing for disclosing non-public information to the media on June 25, 2024. According to the government agency, the aircraft manufacturer will no longer have access to investigative information despite retaining its party status.

The NTSB pointed out that it had learned that one of Boeing’s executives disclosed private information and speculated about the probable cause of the Alaska Airlines flight AS1282 incident on January 5. Then, a Boeing 737 MAX 9 lost its door plug mid-air as it was climbing from Portland International Airport (PDX).

The information disclosure happened during a media briefing at one of Boeing’s assembly sites, where the manufacturer discussed safety and quality improvements at Boeing Commercial Airplanes (BCA). The NTSB highlighted that a company executive provided investigative information and gave an analysis of the factual information previously released.

Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 Boeing 737 MAX 9

Photo: NTSB

Since both actions are prohibited by the party agreement that Boeing signed when it was offered party status at the start of the investigation, the aircraft manufacturer will retain its party status but will not have access to investigative information as the NTSB continues its work.

“As a party to many NTSB investigations over the past decades, few entities know the rules better than Boeing.”

Related

NTSB Says Boeing Is Stonewalling The Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 Investigation

The aircraft manufacturer has since provided the safety board with more information, including the names of additional team members.

Collaborating with the Department of Justice

The Board also said that it will subpoena Boeing to appear at a hearing about the case on August 6 and August 7 in Washington, DC, the US. However, unlike other parties that will appear at the hearing, the aircraft manufacturer’s representatives cannot ask questions of other attendees.

An NTSB investigator examining the Boeing 737 MAX 9 involved with Alaska Airlines Flight 1282.

Photo: NTSB

Furthermore, since the Department of Justice (DOJ) has been investigating whether Boeing violated its deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) that the DOJ and the company agreed to in January 2021 following the two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes, the NTSB will be working with the DOJ. The former would provide details about the information that the plane maker’s executive disclosed during the media briefing.

Related

Boeing: US Prosecutors Recommend DOJ Press Criminal Charges

The DOJ has a deadline of July 7 to make a decision on whether to prosecute Boeing.

Blaming an individual

The NTSB also highlighted that after it requested additional information about the information disclosure, Boeing provided a transcript, which revealed that the executive provided non-public information. In addition, a Boeing executive offered opinions and analysis on the factors that could have caused the incident. The NTSB has already released the preliminary report about the Alaska Airlines flight AS1282 incident.

“In the briefing, Boeing portrayed the NTSB investigation as a search to locate the individual responsible for the door plug work. The NTSB is instead focused on the probable cause of the accident, not placing blame on any individual or assessing liability.”

An Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 with a blown out plug door being investigated.

Photo: NTSB

While Boeing invited the media for a briefing on June 25, the NTSB’s five-member board was in Ohio, deliberating the probable cause and contributing factors of last year’s railroad derailment and hazardous materials release in East Palestine, Ohio, the US.

Related

NTSB Says Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 Door Plug Work Footage Was Overwritten

The security camera footage of the repair work being completed last September is no longer available for review.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *