WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Friday its decision to initiate a three-month review focused on Boeing’s adherence to safety regulations. This move is part of the agency’s intensified scrutiny following an incident in January where a door panel detached from a Boeing 737 Max during an Alaska Airlines flight.
The FAA stated that the upcoming review will assess crucial aspects of Boeing’s safety procedures to ensure that they produce timely and accurate safety-related data for the FAA’s utilization.
An FAA representative clarified that this review is not linked to any specific incident or concern but is instead a part of the agency’s broader commitment to monitor the safety culture at the extensive aircraft manufacturer.
Boeing has yet to provide a response regarding this new review.
FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker has mandated thorough audits of Boeing, along with additional measures to evaluate the safety culture within the company, particularly following the incident involving the door plug detaching from the 737 Max during the flight.
Despite these efforts, the Transportation Department’s inspector general recently highlighted deficiencies in the FAA’s oversight that hinder its capability to identify and resolve issues at Boeing. The audit revealed that the FAA has not adequately ensured that Boeing and its suppliers produce components that meet required engineering and design standards, nor has it thoroughly investigated allegations that Boeing exerts undue influence on employees who are responsible for conducting safety inspections.
According to the report, the FAA has resolved only 14 of 34 investigations regarding claims of undue pressure, with many of the remaining cases unresolved for over a year on average.
In addition, last month, the National Transportation Safety Board delivered an “urgent” recommendation to the FAA concerning a problem that arose in February relating to the rudders utilized by pilots for maneuvering specific Boeing 737 models after landing. In response, the FAA issued a safety alert to airlines two weeks later, addressing this issue.