The Department of Justice has launched a criminal investigation into the Boeing jetliner blowout incident that occurred on an Alaska Airlines plane in January. The investigation comes after a panel that plugged a space for an extra emergency door blew off a Boeing Max 9 jet during a flight.
Investigators have reached out to passengers and crew who were on the flight, including pilots and flight attendants, to gather more information about the incident. Boeing has been facing scrutiny since the incident, with questions raised about the safety of its aircraft.
The DOJ’s investigation is related to a previous settlement that resolved a federal investigation into the safety of Boeing’s 737 Max aircraft following two deadly crashes in 2018 and 2019. Boeing has admitted that it cannot locate records for work done on the door panel of the Alaska Airlines plane.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has also expressed concerns about quality assurance, quality management, and safety management systems at Boeing. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given Boeing 90 days to respond to quality-control issues raised by the agency and a panel of industry and government experts.
This latest development adds to the ongoing challenges facing Boeing and raises further questions about the safety and maintenance practices of the aircraft manufacturer. The Puck Drop will continue to monitor this story as more details emerge.
