NTSB Probes Boeing After Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 Incident

Key figures from Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, and the FAA testify before the NTSB during a two-day hearing investigating a mid-air cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9. The incident led to grounding, investigations, and calls for quality improvements, highlighting systemic issues in manufacturing and oversight.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) began a two-day hearing on Tuesday, focusing on the mid-air cabin panel blowout of an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 door plug in January. Key witnesses from Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are providing crucial testimonies.

The incident damaged Boeing's reputation, piling on two weeks of grounding, a temporary halt on expanding production by the FAA, a criminal investigation, and executive departures. Amidst the ongoing probe, Boeing's senior vice president for quality, Elizabeth Lund, and Doug Ackerman, vice president of supplier quality, testified on the corporation's commitment to quality enhancement.

As Boeing deals with its manufacturing and inspection issues, systemic oversight failure by the FAA has also been underscored. Whistleblowers have alleged retaliation for safety concerns, further sullying factory culture. In June, the NTSB criticized Boeing for non-compliance in investigation rules, following speculation about the incident's causes by executives.

(With inputs from agencies.)