Boeing under new investigation as employees allegedly falsify completion of tests | US News
Federal air safety regulators have initiated a new investigation into the Boeing 787 Dreamliner following the company’s admission that several employees engaged in “misconduct” by falsely claiming tests had been completed.
The investigation will focus on whether Boeing conducted inspections to verify proper bonding and grounding where the wings of certain 787 Dreamliner planes connect to the fuselage, as stated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The probe will also examine “whether company employees may have falsified aircraft records,” added the US federal government agency.
The FAA indicated that Boeing is “reinspecting all 787 airplanes still within the production system and must also develop a plan to address the in-service fleet” while the investigation is ongoing.
Boeing’s stock was down 1.5% at $177.03 on Monday afternoon.
‘Several people not performing required test’
In an email dated April 29, Scott Stocker, the leader of Boeing’s 787 program, mentioned that an employee observed an irregularity in a mandatory 787 conformance test.
Mr. Stocker explained that upon receiving the report, it was discovered that “several people had been violating company policies by not performing a required test, but recording the work as completed.”
In the email sent to employees in South Carolina where the 787 is assembled, Mr. Stocker stated that Boeing promptly notified the FAA about the situation and is taking serious corrective actions involving “multiple” employees.
He reassured that “our engineering team has determined that this misconduct did not pose an immediate safety of flight concern.”
‘They are putting out defective airplanes’
This development comes after a Congressional investigation in April revealed evidence regarding the safety culture and manufacturing standards at Boeing.
Sam Salehpour, a quality engineer at Boeing, testified to a Senate subcommittee that the company was cutting corners to boost production levels, potentially compromising the structural integrity of jetliners.
Regarding Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, he expressed concerns about excessive force being used to fit together fuselage sections, risking damage to the carbon-composite material used in the plane’s frame.
“They are putting out defective airplanes,” he concluded, noting that he faced threats when he raised these concerns.
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Boeing quality engineer Sam Salehpour testifies during the Senate homeland security subcommittee hearing. Pic: AP
The engineer, after reviewing Boeing’s data, concluded that the company is “taking manufacturing shortcuts on the 787 program that could significantly reduce the airplanes’ safety and lifespan.”
Boeing refuted his claims regarding the Dreamliner’s structural integrity and the use of excessive force by factory workers to align fuselage sections.
Two Boeing engineering executives affirmed that their testing and inspections did not reveal any fatigue or cracking in the composite panels, asserting their resistance to fatigue.
Boeing has been facing a safety crisis since a panel blew out of a Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane mid-flight in January.
The Justice Department is conducting a criminal investigation into the mid-air incident.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined that four crucial bolts were missing from the plane.
Boeing stated that they believe necessary documents detailing the removal of the bolts were never generated.
