MOSCOW – Boeing failed 33 out of 89 inspections conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) during a six-week audit of the 737 Max jet’s production, which began after a mid-air incident involving the 737 Max 9 in January, reported Sputnik, quoting a New York Times report on Tuesday, citing the FAA review.
The audit discovered 97 alleged violations throughout the production process at the plane manufacturer and one of its key suppliers, Spirit AeroSystems, the newspaper reported, adding that the companies breached many quality control requirements.
The FAA conducted 13 tests of Spirit AeroSystems’ production, which is responsible for the 737 Max fuselage. Six of those tests were passed, while the other seven were graded as failing, the newspaper reported.
Spirit AeroSystems employees reportedly used a hotel key card to check a door seal and applied liquid soap to a door seal “as lubricant in the fit-up process”, while some Boeing engineers interviewed by the FAA demonstrated poor knowledge of the company’s quality-control processes, with an overall average score of only 58%.
Both companies were reported to have problems with door plugs similar to the one that blew off the Alaska Airlines jet in January, the newspaper reported.
Last week, the FAA announced that it had identified “non-compliance issues” in Boeing’s manufacturing process control, parts handling, storage, and product control and gave the company 90 days to present its action plan.
On January 5, Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 with 171 passengers and six crew members on board made an emergency landing shortly after takeoff in Portland, Oregon, after a door plug detached mid-air.
No injuries were reported at the time, but several days later, some passengers filed a suit against the jet-producing company, demanding compensation for physical, emotional, and economic harm.
The FAA ordered the grounding of all Boeing 737 Max 9 planes in the United States.
The troubles with Boeing aircraft did not end there, as a few weeks later, an oxygen leak was discovered on board a Boeing 737 that was expected to transport US Secretary of State Antony Blinken from the Davos World Economic Forum. The leak proved to be impossible to repair, rendering the plane unsafe to fly. – March 12, 2024