Boeing blasted by US regulator for revealing panel blowout details to media
Boeing has been sanctioned by the top US accident investigator for having “blatantly violated” regulations by revealing private information to the media and speculating about what caused January’s cabin panel blowout on a brand-new airplane operated by Alaska Airlines.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said it is cooperating with the Department of Justice, which is deciding whether to prosecute Boeing after declaring it had breached a settlement over two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.
After a door plug blew off a 737 Max 9 shortly after it took off from Portland, Oregon, forcing an Alaska Airlines crew to engineer an emergency landing, the NTSB launched an investigation. The panel appeared to be missing four key bolts, it found.
In an excoriating statement on Thursday, the NTSB said Boeing violated its regulations and a signed agreement the agency has with the company by providing “non-public investigative information” and “speculating about possible causes” of January’s incident during a media briefing.
