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Boeing is once again facing scrutiny after recent remarks made by a senior executive during a media briefing led to sanctions from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The briefing was part of Boeing's effort to showcase improvements in its safety and quality culture at its 737 production facility in Renton, Washington. However, comments by Elizabeth Lund, Senior Vice President of Quality at Boeing’s commercial airplanes division, regarding an ongoing investigation into a January incident with an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 aircraft have drawn criticism.
Lund's remarks reportedly included unreleased and unverified details about the NTSB's investigation into the incident, which involved a mid-exit door plug blowing out of the aircraft departing from Portland, Oregon. The NTSB responded by rescinding Boeing’s access to investigative materials and filing a complaint with the Department of Justice. The Department is also pursuing separate charges against Boeing related to fatal Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.
The NTSB had previously stated that four retaining bolts were missing when the plane left the Renton factory. These bolts were supposed to secure a door plug that had been removed for repairs by Spirit AeroSystems. Lund suggested that paperwork errors, rather than mechanical mistakes, led to the oversight. "We know the move crew closed the plug," Lund said. "They did not reinstall the retaining pins. That is not their job."
