By David Shepardson
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun recently made a public apology and a firm commitment that the company will adhere to government regulations. This came after the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) called out Boeing for sharing non-public information regarding a potential cause of a 737 MAX mid-air emergency. The NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy revealed in an interview with Reuters that Calhoun reached out to her following the criticism from the NTSB on June 27. He assured her that Boeing was reviewing its practices in relation to NTSB investigations, leading to what she described as a constructive conversation.
In response to the incident, Boeing expressed regret for overstepping the boundaries of the NTSB’s investigative role with their previous comments. Moving forward, Boeing will no longer have access to information generated during NTSB investigations and will be unable to participate in questioning other parties during an upcoming hearing on August 6-7.
The NTSB had raised concerns about Boeing executives releasing confidential investigative information and engaging in unfounded speculation regarding possible causes during a factory tour that involved numerous journalists. Despite these challenges, NTSB investigators are continuing their thorough examination, conducting interviews, collecting data, and preparing for further inquiries after the upcoming hearing.
In light of Boeing’s recent conduct, the NTSB announced that they will be referring the matter to the Justice Department for further action.
Furthermore, the Department of Justice recently announced that Boeing has agreed to plead guilty to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge and pay a significant fine of $243.6 million to resolve an investigation related to two tragic 737 MAX crashes.
Homendy shared with Reuters that the NTSB has communicated the details of the Boeing incident to the DOJ to ensure full awareness and appropriate action.