The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into aircraft manufacturer Boeing. The investigation aims to determine whether Boeing conducted the necessary inspections on its 787 “Dreamliner” aircraft and whether employees falsified documents. Specifically, the investigation is looking into whether Boeing correctly carried out mandatory inspections related to the junction of the wings to the fuselage on certain 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
Boeing has been dealing with a series of quality and safety issues on its planes for over a year, following the crashes in 2018 and 2019. Recent incidents include a door stopper falling off an Alaska Airlines plane and whistleblowers raising concerns about production problems on the Boeing 737 MAX, 787 Dreamliner, and 777 aircraft. These challenges have led to turmoil within the company, prompting Boeing’s CEO to announce that he will step down at the end of the year.
The investigation was initiated after Boeing informed the FAA in April that it may not have performed required inspections. As a result, Boeing is re-inspecting all 787 aircraft still in production and developing a plan to care for the fleet in service. The 787 Dreamliner, along with the 737 MAX, has faced numerous production problems since 2023, leading to delays in deliveries and causing airlines to adjust their flight schedules for 2024.
Scott Stocker, head of the 78