US eyes expanding Boeing probe

Broader inquiry hinges on proof of problems beyond 737 Max 9

The US Federal Aviation Administration’s top official said the agency could expand its probe of Boeing Co.’s manufacturing practices beyond the 737 Max assembly operations if it finds evidence of problems elsewhere at the plane maker.

For now, the agency is focused on the mid-cabin door plugs on Max 9 aircraft like the one that blew off an Alaska Airlines flight shortly after take-off on Jan. 5, according to FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker. Airlines have reported

346 people killed in two crashes involving Max jets in 2018 and 2019

finding loose bolts in their fleets of Max 9s after they were grounded by the agency following the accident.

“Boeing manufactures a number of aircraft, so we’re going to look at the Max, but we’ll also look at the company systemically to see whether these issues run elsewhere,” Whitaker said in an interview. “It depends on where the evidence leads us.”

A Boeing representative declined to comment.

A broader inquiry would heap additional pressure on a company dealing with a growing crisis of confidence. The intensified scrutiny follows a string of quality lapses that have bedevilled Boeing’s Max operations since two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 killed 346 people.

The agency’s latest examination has so far found issues with workmanship that point to manufacturing deficiencies rather than design flaws, Whitaker said.

“Given that there is a history there, which we can’t ignore, our focus is really on the quality control and the manufacturing process,” he said.