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DOJ Opens Probe Into Alaska Airlines And Boeing Accident
https://www.whatjobs.com/news/usa/us-business-news/doj-opens-probe-into-alaska-airlines-and-boeing-accident
By Nithya Bose in Business News, posted March 11, 2024
The Justice Department has opened a criminal investigation into a Boeing 737 MAX blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight.
The incident, which occurred on January 5th, led to an emergency landing due to part of the fuselage peeling off mid-flight.
Investigators are to reach out to passengers and crew members for interviews.
This investigation is part of a broader scrutiny under which Boeing is operating, especially after settling a federal inquiry linked to two tragic 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019, which resulted in the deaths of 346 people.
Alaska Airlines said: “In an event like this, it’s normal for the DOJ to be conducting an investigation.
“We are fully cooperating and do not believe we are a target of the investigation.”
This investigation could affect a previous $2.5 billion settlement with Boeing.
It resolved allegations of misleading the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about a flight-control system malfunction contributing to the earlier crashes.
Recent actions also involve inquiries by the Transportation Department’s Inspector General’s office, aiming to interview FAA officials overseeing Boeing’s manufacturing processes in Seattle.
This highlights the comprehensive approach authorities take to ensure aviation safety and compliance.
The investigation also extends beyond just the airline and the manufacturer.
Passengers on the flight will also be told they might be considered victims in a criminal case.
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This move underscores the potential gravity of any findings that might emerge from the Justice Department’s investigation.
Complications arise with the involvement of criminal probes in aviation safety matters.
Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), said: “We don’t want to tell any other agency what they should or should not do.
“Where it becomes a concern for us is when employees and others don’t feel safe to speak to us.”
The safety board reported that four essential bolts were absent from Alaska's 737 MAX 9 aircraft as it departed the Boeing factory.
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