NTSB Chair Criticizes Boeing Over Preventable Alaska Airlines Incident

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy stated that the mid-air emergency involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 was preventable. She emphasized that Boeing should have addressed unauthorized production work years ago, citing numerous audits and compliance reviews highlighting the issue.

The head of the National Transportation Safety Board, Jennifer Homendy, announced on Wednesday that the mid-air emergency involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 9 was completely avoidable. She blamed the incident on Boeing's failure to address unauthorized production work.

'This accident should have never happened. This should have been caught years before,' Homendy told reporters. Her remarks underscore the significance of long-standing issues within Boeing’s manufacturing processes.

Homendy further noted, 'There have been numerous, numerous Boeing audits, FAA audits, compliance reviews, and compliance action plans, all pointing to a history of unauthorized work and removals.' These statements point to systemic problems that may have contributed to the emergency.