U.S. House urge investigation of FAA key decisions in Boeing 727 MAX certification

The chairman of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and another key Democrat asked the Transportation Department's inspector general on Tuesday to examine key decisions made by the Federal Aviation Administration in certifying the Boeing 737 MAX for use.

The inspector general's office said it would open a probe Tuesday into the plane's approval but has not disclosed what it will examine. Representatives Peter DeFazio and Rick Larsen said the crashes underscore "the need to take a more proactive approach with safety to protect the traveling public."

The Democrats asked in a letter that the investigation include a review of what "led to the FAA's decision not to revise pilot training programs and manuals to reflect changes to flight-critical automation systems." The FAA did not immediately comment.