Boeing sanctioned by NTSB for "blatantly" violating investigative rules
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The fuselage plug area of a damaged Alaska Airlines-operated Boeing 737-9 MAX in January 2024. Photo: Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued a rare series of sanctions against Boeing after the aerospace giant "blatantly" violated federal investigative regulations, the board announced Thursday.
Why it matters: The investigative agency said it was coordinating with the Department of Justice's fraud division, which is investigating whether Boeing breached its obligations under a 2021 settlement to avoid criminal charges stemming from two fatal crashes.
- The NTSB also warned Boeing in a subsequent letter that "further infractions may lead to the loss of party status."
- "The disregard of the federal regulations and rules governing NTSB investigations cannot be tolerated," the letter stated.
Driving the news: The agency alleged that a Boeing executive disclosed non-public investigative information during a media briefing on Tuesday.
- The executive speculated about possible causes behind the mid-flight door plug blowout that one of Boeing's 737 MAX 9 jets experienced in January.
- Both actions violated an agreement Boeing and the NTSB signed at the start of the agency's investigation into the Alaska Airlines incident, which thrust Boeing's safety record back into the spotlight.
- The company has also been mired in multiple misconduct allegations from former and current employees in recent weeks.
- The blowout, the allegations of misconduct and other incidents have reignited calls for criminal prosecution and additional fines over two previous 737 MAX 8 crashes between 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people.
What they're saying: A transcript of the briefing provided by Boeing revealed the company inaccurately described the purpose of the agency's investigation, the NTSB said in a statement.
- It said the company portrayed the investigation as a search to locate the individual responsible for the door plug work.
- The agency is probing the probable cause of the accident, not seeking to assign blame to any individual or assess liability.
- "As a party to many NTSB investigations over the past decades, few entities know the rules better than Boeing," the NTSB statement said.
The other side: In a statement Thursday, Boeing apologized to the NTSB and said it will answer any questions the agency has throughout its investigation.
- "We deeply regret that some of our comments, intended to make clear our responsibility in the accident and explain the actions we are taking, overstepped the NTSB's role as the source of investigative information," a company spokesperson said.
Zoom in: Because of the violations, Boeing will no longer have access to investigative information the NTSB produces throughout its investigation, the agency said.
- The NTSB added that it may subpoena any records it requires during the course of the investigation.
- The agency intends to subpoena Boeing for a hearing in August, as well.
Go deeper ... DOJ: Boeing breached 2021 safety agreement that prevented charges for crashes
Editor's note: The story has been updated with a comment from Boeing and details from a separate NTSB letter. Axios' April Rubin contributed.
