Boeing Faces $3.1M FAA Fine Over 737 Max Safety Violations

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is seeking $3.1 million in civil penalties from Boeing for safety violations, including those linked to an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 that lost a door-plug panel in midair earlier this year. The proposed fine covers violations from September 2023 through February 2024, the agency announced Friday.

That period includes the January 2024 incident in which a paneled-over exit door, known as a door plug, blew out shortly after takeoff from Portland, Oregon. The Alaska Airlines jet was carrying 171 passengers and six crew members, none of whom were seriously injured. Pilots safely returned the aircraft to the airport.

In June, the National Transportation Safety Board said its 17-month investigation found that lapses in Boeing’s manufacturing and safety oversight, combined with ineffective FAA inspections and audits, contributed to the door-plug blowout.

The FAA said it has identified hundreds of quality-system violations at Boeing’s 737 factory in Renton, Washington, and at Spirit AeroSystems’ 737 plant in Wichita, Kansas. Among other issues, regulators cited an incident where a Boeing employee pressured a member of the company’s Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) unit—responsible for certain FAA inspections and certifications—to sign off on a 737 MAX even though the aircraft did not meet applicable standards.

Boeing has 30 days to respond to the proposed penalty. In a statement, the Arlington, Virginia-based company said it is reviewing the FAA’s action and noted that it implemented a safety and quality plan last year under FAA oversight to improve safety management and quality assurance. “We regret the January 2024 door-plug accident and continue to work on strengthening our safety culture and improving first-time quality and accountability across our operations,” Boeing said.

The MAX version of Boeing’s bestselling 737 has faced persistent scrutiny since two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 killed 346 people. In May, the Justice Department reached a deal allowing Boeing to avoid criminal prosecution for allegedly misleading U.S. regulators about the MAX prior to the crashes.


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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, abcnews.go.com