Boeing Escapes Criminal Charges Over 737 Max Crashes That Killed 346 People

Boeing will not face criminal prosecution over the two 737 Max jetliner crashes that killed 346 people, after a U.S. federal judge in Texas granted the Justice Department’s request to dismiss the conspiracy charge against the aerospace giant. The decision, issued Thursday Nov. 7 by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, closes a contentious chapter in one of aviation’s deadliest corporate scandals.

As part of the deal, Boeing agreed to pay or invest an additional $1.1 billion toward fines, compensation for victims’ families, and improvements to its internal safety and quality programs. The agreement allows Boeing to select its own compliance consultant rather than submit to oversight by an independent monitor, a key point of contention for victims’ relatives who have accused the company of evading accountability.

Prosecutors had accused Boeing of deceiving federal regulators about a critical flight-control software system known as MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System), which was later found to have played a central role in both crashes. The first, a Lion Air flight in Indonesia in October 2018, plunged into the Java Sea minutes after takeoff. Less than five months later, an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max crashed outside Addis Ababa, killing everyone aboard.

Judge O’Connor, while sharply critical of the agreement, said he was bound by law to accept the government’s decision to drop the case. He wrote that the deal “fails to secure the necessary accountability to ensure the safety of the flying public,” but acknowledged the Justice Department had met its legal obligations under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act and had not acted in bad faith.

The Justice Department argued that pursuing a full criminal trial could risk Boeing escaping conviction altogether, and that the negotiated deal represents the most “just and enforceable” outcome. Officials said 110 victims’ families supported or did not oppose the resolution, while nearly 100 families remain strongly against it.

Families of crash victims condemned the ruling, calling it a betrayal of justice. “When a company’s failures cost so many lives, ending a criminal case behind closed doors erodes trust and weakens deterrence,” said Paul Njoroge, a Canadian who lost his wife and three children in the Ethiopian Airlines crash. Another family member, Catherine Berthet, who lost her daughter Camille in the same disaster, pleaded during a September hearing, “Do not allow Boeing to buy its freedom.”

The long-running case dates back to 2021, when the Justice Department charged Boeing with defrauding the U.S. government but agreed not to prosecute in exchange for a $2.5 billion settlement and compliance commitments. Prosecutors later determined that Boeing violated that agreement, prompting the company to plead guilty to conspiracy to defraud the FAA. Judge O’Connor rejected the plea deal earlier this year, forcing both sides back to negotiations.

Following Thursday’s ruling, Boeing said it would honor the terms of the new agreement and continue to strengthen its “safety, quality, and compliance programs.” The company noted that it has invested heavily in reforms since the MAX tragedies, including organizational restructuring and enhanced oversight procedures.

Meanwhile, the first civil trial related to the Ethiopian Airlines crash is now underway in Chicago, where jurors will determine how much Boeing must compensate the family of Shikha Garg, a United Nations consultant who died while traveling to a U.N. environmental summit in Kenya.

The 737 Max crisis, which grounded Boeing’s best-selling jet for nearly 20 months, remains one of the most costly and damaging episodes in aviation history. Investigators concluded that Boeing withheld critical information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about changes to the MCAS system before the aircraft was certified for flight. The software, triggered by faulty sensor data, repeatedly forced the aircraft’s nose downward, leaving pilots unable to recover.

Though Boeing has avoided criminal prosecution, the company continues to face lawsuits, regulatory scrutiny, and global pressure to rebuild trust in the safety of its aircraft. The Justice Department’s decision not to pursue further charges closes one legal front — but the moral and reputational fallout for Boeing is far from over.


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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, yahoo.com, apnews.com