In a recent press conference held at a Boeing factory in Renton, Washington, senior vice president of quality, Elizabeth Lund, addressed the issue of missing bolts on a 737 Max that caused a door plug to blow off during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. Lund explained that the bolts were not installed due to a paperwork error.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) had already disclosed this information during a Senate Commerce Committee testimony. However, Boeing sharing this information led to an NTSB reprimand, accusing the company of violating agency rules by sharing investigative information.
The NTSB announced that it will no longer share any information with Boeing related to the investigation and will be referring the company’s conduct to the Department of Justice for a potential criminal probe.
Boeing responded by acknowledging their mistake and expressing regret for overstepping the NTSB’s role as the source of investigative information. Despite Boeing’s attempt to take responsibility, the NTSB’s reaction has overshadowed the real issue of how a simple paperwork error could have endangered passengers.
When reached for comment, Boeing deferred to the NTSB for information regarding the investigation.
