The House Transportation Committee has released an investigative report on the development and certification of the Boeing 737 Max airplane. The investigation followed two tragic plane crashes involving Boeing’s 737 Max airplane. In October 2018, Lion Air Flight 610 crashed, and just five months later in March 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed.
The committee’s report indicates the deadly crashes were not the result of a single mistake, rather “they were the horrific culmination of a series of faulty technical assumptions by Boeing’s engineers, a lack of transparency on the part of Boeing’s management, and grossly insufficient oversight by the FAA.”
The report details the pressure felt by Boeing’s employees to both maintain the plane’s development schedule, while at the same time meeting budgetary requirements. This all occurred as the company was racing the plane to final approval in order to compete with Airbus’ new plane, the Airbus A320neo. The investigators found numerous instances in which Boeing withheld important information from the FAA.
Some of Boeing’s engineers and pilots expressed concerns regarding the new plane, but they were apparently dismissed by Boeing. Numerous concerns were ultimately not reported to the FAA the report indicates. Unfortunately, the tragic result, is that it appears these two deadly crashes were preventable.
The full report may be accesed at: https://transportation.house.gov/imo/media/doc/2020.09.15%20FINAL%20737%20MAX%20Report%20for%20Public%20Release.pdf
The development of a new plane requires a significant approval process. That regulatory approval from the FAA can only be safely done with both sides have complete access to the information. That is the only way to ensure the safety of the millions of travelers who rely on plane travel. When this does not occur, it can result in catastrophic personal injury or death following a plane crash.
Our attorneys have extensive experience in plane crash litigation in courts across the country and the skills needed to represent the families of loved ones who have lost their lives as a result of the negligence of another party, or been seriously injured. The experienced plane crash attorneys at Spagnoletti Law Firm can help you understand your rights if you or a loved one was a victim of a plane or helicopter crash. Please contact us online or call 713-804-9306 or 877-678-5864 to learn more about your legal rights.