Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun testifies before a subcommittee of the Senate Energy and National Resources Committee on the company's safety culture following multiple recent accidents involving Boeing aircraft, Washington, DC, 6 January 18th.
Alison Bailey | AFP | Getty Images
A U.S. Senate panel is investigating boeing companyThe company's safety culture on Wednesday faulted the planemaker's quality practices and Federal Aviation Administration oversight, citing documents obtained in the ongoing investigation.
Boeing workers continue to feel pressure to prioritize production speed over quality, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said Wednesday during a hearing with FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker.
Democratic staffers on the committee said in a memo that Boeing struggled to ensure workers were adequately trained, failed to ensure inappropriate parts were not installed, and that its quality inspection procedures and FAA scrutiny have raised questions about the inspections it performed. Questions about an individual's qualifications and independence.
At some facilities, Boeing personnel can inspect their own work.
“Given the depth and history of Boeing's safety deficiencies, its lack of candor with the FAA, and the agency's reactive regulatory approach, the newly released information raises questions about the effectiveness of FAA's oversight of the company,” the committee said. Sexual questioning.
Boeing said the company “has taken important steps to foster a safety culture that empowers and encourages all employees to share their voices, but this requires continued focus.”
The FAA had no comment, but Whitaker told a House hearing Tuesday that Boeing needs to make significant safety culture improvements that could take years to complete.
The committee disclosed details of an FAA audit that was completed after a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 jet exploded at 16,000 feet in January because a door jam was missing a key bolt.
The Justice Department and FAA are investigating.
The 116-page FAA letter details 97 alleged violations by Boeing, covering “issues with Boeing's manufacturing process controls, parts handling and storage, and product controls.” The audit found 23 instances where employees “failed to follow processes or lacked proficiency,” the memo said.
Whitaker banned Boeing from expanding MAX production until it made major quality improvements.
The committee said an internal Boeing investigation in May showed many mechanics felt pressured to prioritize speed over quality during aircraft production, and said the FAA discovered defects in Boeing's quality inspections in 2017.
Whitaker's written testimony at the Senate hearing said the FAA will “promptly provide real-time notification of any potentially criminal activity so that the Department of Justice can take any action they deem appropriate.”
Boeing agreed in July to plead guilty to criminal fraud conspiracy charges after violating a 2021 agreement with the Justice Department.