Boeing is facing renewed criticism after the revelation of a January crash involving a 737 Max plane. During a factory tour, a Boeing executive revealed details about the missing bolts that led to a panel coming loose in mid-flight.
The information sharing has angered the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which called it a “blatant violation” of its own investigation rules. The NTSB is investigating the crash and says Boeing is not allowed to discuss details or speculate about the cause. As punishment, they will limit Boeing’s access to investigation information and prevent them from questioning others at an upcoming hearing.
This comes after two fatal Max crashes in 2018 and 2019, which raised concerns about Boeing's previous assurances of improved safety measures. The January crash and employee reports suggest those changes were not enough.
Boeing is making some changes, however. It requires more rigorous inspections of plane bodies before final assembly and has scaled back production due to Federal Aviation Administration restrictions. It has also implemented more training for new hires and is streamlining procedures to reduce errors.
Overall, this incident highlights Boeing's ongoing struggle to regain trust after past safety issues. While they are making changes, the NTSB's response shows the importance of following investigation protocol.