Boeing is facing further scrutiny as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the aircraft manufacturer. 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’s troubles with quality and safety issues have been ongoing 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.
In April, after informing the FAA that it may not have performed required inspections on some 787 aircraft, Boeing initiated a re-inspection of all planes still in production and developed a plan to care for those already in service. The FAA investigation will determine if there were any irregularities during these inspections or if employees falsified documents related to these inspections. This news has caused further setbacks for Boeing as it continues to deal with quality and safety issues on its planes.