FAA Leader Admits Lack of Boeing Oversight; Dutch Roll Investigated

FAA investigates new Boeing incident amid concerns over lack of oversight, highlighting ongoing safety issues with Boeing planes.

Federal officials have announced an investigation into another incident involving a Boeing plane, coinciding with the Federal Aviation Administration's admission of a lack of oversight for the company. Boeing has faced intense scrutiny since a panel blew off a Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliner above Oregon on January 5, prompting a safe emergency landing. Another incident occurred in late May during a flight from Phoenix to the Bay Area, where a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max aircraft experienced a "Dutch roll" motion. The FAA Administrator, Mike Whitaker, acknowledged the agency's previous lack of visibility into Boeing's operations before the January 5 incident during a Senate hearing.

Following the January incident, the FAA grounded 171 Boeing jets, later allowing them to resume flights after an inspection process was approved. The agency increased safety inspectors at Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems' facilities, a Boeing supplier. Production expansion of the Boeing 737 MAX was halted, and an audit of Boeing's production line revealed numerous failures. The FAA vowed to hold Boeing accountable for addressing systemic safety and quality-control issues.

An aviation safety expert emphasized the importance of Boeing repairing its reputation to avoid major consequences for the aerospace industry. Boeing's 737 Max 9 jetliners were certified for passenger service in 2018, but a crash involving an Ethiopian Airlines flight less than a year later resulted in a lengthy grounding of the Max planes. Boeing agreed to a settlement of $2.5 billion for investigations into the crashes. The aerospace industry heavily relies on Boeing's production to meet air travel demand, making it crucial for the company to address safety concerns.