NTSB Questions Key Witnesses on Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 Incident

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has begun a hearing to question key figures from Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, and the FAA regarding a mid-air cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9. The hearing will cover manufacturing, inspections, and safety management among other issues.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) commenced a critical hearing on Tuesday, targeting key witnesses from Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). These witnesses will provide testimony regarding a mid-air cabin panel blowout of an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 door plug that occurred in January. The NTSB unveiled 3,800 pages of factual reports and interviews linked to the ongoing investigation.

This incident significantly tarnished Boeing’s reputation, resulting in a two-week grounding of the MAX 9, a production halt mandated by the FAA, a criminal investigation, and the resignation of several top executives. In an effort to rebuild trust, Boeing has pledged to implement essential quality improvements. Among the scheduled witnesses are Elizabeth Lund, Boeing’s senior vice president for quality, and Doug Ackerman, the company's vice president of supplier quality. The hearings, set to span 20 hours over two days, are expected to shed light on pertinent issues.

Speaking on behalf of Spirit AeroSystems are Terry George, senior vice president and general manager for Boeing Program, and Scott Grabon, a senior director for 737 quality. Earlier this year, Boeing agreed to reacquire Spirit AeroSystems for $4.7 billion in stock, a company it originally spun off in 2005. The hearings will scrutinize areas such as 737 manufacturing and inspections, safety management and quality systems, FAA oversight, and specifics around the door plug issue. Notably, Boeing has no paperwork documenting four missing bolts linked to the incident.

Boeing and the FAA have refrained from commenting, while a Spirit AeroSystems spokesperson confirmed the company’s full cooperation with the NTSB's investigation. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker admitted in June that the agency's oversight of Boeing was insufficient prior to the January incident. Additionally, the NTSB reprimanded Boeing for leaking non-public information, leading to restricted access for the company during the ongoing probe.

Last month, Boeing conceded to a criminal fraud conspiracy charge, agreeing to pay a minimum of $243.6 million to settle a Justice Department investigation into two 737 MAX fatal crashes.