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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has announced sanctions against Boeing after the company disclosed nonpublic details regarding an ongoing investigation.
According to the NTSB, the sanctions are related to Boeing revealing unauthorized information about a 737 Max 9 door plug that blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. During a media briefing earlier in the week, the agency accused Boeing of “blatantly violating NTSB investigative regulations” by sharing unapproved details and speculating on the incident’s cause. Specifically, the NTSB says that a Boeing executive improperly discussed improvements in the company’s commercial airplanes division and mischaracterized the investigation as an effort to find the individual responsible for the faulty door plug. The NTSB countered the comments made by the executive and said they were “focused on the probable cause of the accident, not placing blame on any individual or assessing liability.”
Despite the breach, Boeing will maintain its party status in the investigation but will face significant restrictions. The company will no longer have access to the NTSB’s ongoing investigative information, which is crucial for building a complete factual record of the accident. Additionally, Boeing is required to appear at an investigative hearing in August but will not be permitted to question other participants.
The NTSB noted, “As a party to many NTSB investigations over the past decades, few entities know the rules better than Boeing.”
This violation has also prompted the NTSB to refer the matter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for further action against Boeing, including possible prosecution for violating a deferred prosecution agreement related to previous fatal crashes of 737 Max 8 jetliners. Boeing has not publicly commented on this development.
