It's been a year since a cabin door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX in midair, and Boeing making improvements. Still, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration asserted that more work is needed.
Despite an onslaught of protocols to improve oversight of Boeing operations, Mike Whitaker, who will step down later this month, said in a blog post that "this is not a one-year project."
"What’s needed is a fundamental cultural shift at Boeing that’s oriented around safety and quality above profits. That will require sustained effort and commitment from Boeing, and unwavering scrutiny on our part," Whitaker wrote.
Investigators found that four key bolts had been missing from the door plug to the Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft when it took off from Portland, Oregon, on Jan. 5, 2024. The panel blew off at 16,000 feet, which caused the cabin to depressurize before the flight returned safely to Portland International Airport.
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In short order, Whitaker issued an emergency airworthiness directive, temporarily grounding all MAX aircraft built with this type of plug door. The FAA then issued a "series of unprecedented steps that dramatically transformed how we oversee Boeing," Whitaker said Friday.
Since the incident, Whitaker said that more inspectors were put on factory floors, and production levels were capped for the 737 Max. But "most significantly, we required Boeing to develop a comprehensive plan to fix its systemic production-quality problems," Whitaker continued.
Aside from the multiple meetings with Boeing’s leadership at FAA’s offices in Washington, Whitaker "visited Boeing’s facilities several times in 2024 to engage directly with their workforce and get their feedback on company policies and safety culture."
Whitaker also said he "communicated the importance of a robust whistleblowing reporting program with Boeing’s CEO and ensured the independent FAA safety hotline information has been shared with all Boeing employees."
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However, in March 2024, a Boeing whistleblower , 62-year-old Johm Barnett, was found dead after raising concerns about quality control issues at his former company.
The Charleston County Coroner's Office told Fox News Digital that Barnett died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Prior to his death, Barnett was taking legal action against Boeing over actions that he alleged led to his "constructive discharge" in March 2017 and was seeking damages including back pay, lost benefits and emotional distress.
Still, Whitaker said, as a result of the company's work, it "received a surge in employee safety reports during the past year."
Whitaker said that Boeing is continuing to execute its comprehensive plan in the areas of safety, quality improvement and effective employee engagement and training and that the FAA is actively monitoring the results and "keeping a close eye on work at key Boeing facilities."
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Whitaker said the FAA has conducted an unprecedented number of unannounced audits and continues to conduct monthly status reviews with Boeing executives to monitor progress.
After the recent machinists’ strike halted production, FAA inspectors remained in the factory and focused on issues like training and making sure aircraft were safely stored, he said.
Still, the FAA is "looking at all aspects" of its oversight and said it will "continue to support the NTSB’s investigation of the door-plug accident."
It will continue to review any recommendations from the NTSB as well as other parties, including the Office of Inspector General, to improve its internal processes.
"Our goal is to develop even more dynamic oversight protocols that enable us to anticipate and identify risks before incidents occur," Whitaker added.
