Boeing Faces Tough Questions in Senate Over Safety Concerns
In a tense Senate hearing, Boeing’s CEO Kelly Ortberg faced intense scrutiny over safety lapses at the aviation giant. The hearing, part of an ongoing examination of Boeing’s practices, was prompted by a recent incident involving a Boeing 737 MAX-9 jet.
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg testifies before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation regarding safety changes. Jose Luis Magana/AP
Ortberg, who took over as CEO recently, was grilled by the Commerce Committee regarding Boeing’s safety practices. The committee’s hearing, titled “Safety First: Restoring Boeing’s Status as a Great American Manufacturer,” highlighted critical safety oversights, including a door plug failure on a 737 MAX-9 jet last year. This incident resulted in a rapid cabin depressurization but no serious injuries among the 177 people on board.
National Transportation Safety Board investigations revealed that four crucial bolts were missing, leading to the incident. The absence of these bolts was traced back to Boeing’s Renton, Washington factory.
Senator Ted Cruz expressed concerns about Boeing’s safety culture, stating, “the incident produced fresh doubt about Boeing’s ability to safely build planes.” Cruz emphasized that prioritizing production speed over safety has resulted in significant failures for the company.
Ortberg admitted to past shortcomings, acknowledging that Boeing had made “serious missteps” and promised changes to improve safety. He assured the committee of the company’s commitment to addressing these issues.
During the session, Ortberg took responsibility for the door plug incident, stating, “It’s unacceptable that an aircraft left our factory without that door plug properly installed.” He emphasized that such errors “can never, never happen again.”
Despite the Federal Aviation Administration limiting Boeing’s 737 MAX production to 38 aircraft per month, Ortberg is focused on ensuring quality over quantity. “I’m not pressuring the team to go fast. I’m pressuring the team to do it right,” he stated.
Boeing’s safety protocols have been under scrutiny since two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019. These accidents resulted in the loss of 346 lives and have led to calls for accountability from victims’ families, some of whom attended the hearing with photos of their loved ones.
As the company faces a potential criminal trial, Ortberg stated that Boeing is negotiating with the Justice Department, aiming for a revised plea agreement. This follows accusations that Boeing misled the FAA regarding a defective flight control system linked to the crashes.
Ortberg expressed his eagerness to resolve these legal challenges, saying, “I want this resolved as fast as anybody. Hopefully, we’ll have a new agreement here soon.”
Previously, Boeing had agreed to a plea deal involving a $243 million fine and additional costs for compliance and safety improvements. However, this was rejected by a Texas federal judge, who has now scheduled a trial for June 23.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
