FAA audit finds dozens of issues in Boeing 737 MAX production
The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) audit of Boeing’s 737 MAX production process after a panel blew off on an Alaska Airlines jet in January failed 33 of 89 tests, the New York Times reported on Monday.
In the wide-ranging investigation, Boeing failed a check which dealt with the component that blew off the jet, known as a door plug, the report said, citing an FAA presentation viewed by NYT.
Supplier Spirit AeroSystems which makes the fuselage for the MAX, passed six of 13 audits and failed the rest, the report added.
→ Boeing in discussions to buy supplier Spirit AeroSystems
Additionally, an audit at Spirit focusing on the door plug component found five problems and it failed the one which dealt with the installation of the component, the report said.
The audit raised concerns about the technicians who carried out the work and found that the company “failed to determine the knowledge necessary for the operation of its processes,” according to the report.
Other audits that Spirit failed included one that involved a cargo door and another that dealt with the installation of cockpit windows, it said.
Based on the FAA audit, Boeing is continuing to implement immediate changes, and is developing a plan to strengthen safety and quality, the plane maker told Reuters in an emailed statement.
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