Bombshell report says Boeing rejected safety upgrades that could have prevented crashes
SEATTLE - An internal complaint submitted by a Boeing engineer after the second deadly 737 MAX crash says managers at the company rejected safety upgrades that could have potentially prevented two catastrophic crashes, according to an in-depth report by The Seattle Times.
The Times reviewed a copy of the internal ethics complaint filed by the engineer, who claimed the new safety system was rejected on three separate occasions because of cost and "potential (pilot) training impact."
The safety culture at Boeing is under heavy scrutiny after multiple reports have suggested that profit was prioritized over safety. Four federal agencies - the FBI, Department of Justice prosecutors, Department of Transportation inspectors and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) - are investigating alleged wrongdoing by the company, The Times reports.
Boeing's 737 MAX planes have been grounded since March. Flight-control software is suspected of playing a role in two crashes -- the Oct. 29 crash of a Lion Air jet in Indonesia and the March 10 plunge of an Ethiopian Airlines Max. In all, 346 people died.
Boeing released the following statement in response to the new report:
“Safety, quality and integrity are at the core of Boeing’s values. Boeing offers its employees a number of channels for raising concerns and complaints and has rigorous processes in place, both to ensure that such complaints receive thorough consideration and to protect the confidentiality of employees who make them. Accordingly, Boeing does not comment on the substance or existence of such internal complaints.”
Read the full report from The Seattle Times here.