‘Flying on Boeing, a Death Wish’, says factory worker of American jet maker: Exploring previous crashes, safety concerns, undercover investigation and whistleblower’s death

Boeing is facing escalating challenges, particularly highlighted by an incident in early January where a panel detached from a new Alaska Airlines 737 Max during flight. This event has brought renewed attention to Boeing's long-standing safety and manufacturing issues, which have been accumulating over the years, including the involvement of Max jets in two tragic crashes.

In response to the ongoing turmoil, leadership changes have been announced. Boeing revealed on Monday that CEO David Calhoun would step down from his position at the end of the year as part of broader management adjustments. In a note to employees, Calhoun expressed his belief that Boeing would emerge from this period as a stronger company. Calhoun assumed the role of CEO in 2020, succeeding his predecessor who was dismissed following the fatal Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.

In addition to incidents involving newer Max jets, Boeing has faced scrutiny due to mishaps with some of its older aircraft models. For instance, a Delta Air Lines-operated 757 jet experienced the loss of a nose wheel during takeoff in January. Furthermore, a post-flight inspection of a 737-800 flown by United Airlines earlier this month revealed a missing panel, shedding light on maintenance issues for which the airlines bear responsibility.

 

AN UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION

According to a clip from Al Jazeera's 2014 documentary "Broken Dreams: The Boeing 787," that is now going viral on social media, revealed serious concerns among some Boeing employees regarding the safety of the 787 "Dreamliner" aircraft. In their documentary both current and retired Boeing workers expressed apprehensions about quality control issues and were scared of flying on a Boeing 787.

Using a hidden camera, the undercover investigators recorded conversations with colleagues inside the Boeing South Carolina plant. When asked, ten out of fifteen co-workers state they would not fly on the 787 'Dreamliner'.

In the documentary, a worker shockingly said that he will only fly on a Boeing aircraft if he had a 'Death Wish'. The clip also showed a worker saying that his colleagues are usually high on marijuana, cocaine and prescription painkillers.

However, Boeing responded to this documentary by stating that they conduct drug testing in accordance with company policy and applicable laws.

 

THE CRASHES AND OTHER INCIDENTS

The current focus of criticism and investigations surrounding Boeing primarily revolves around its Max jets. These aircraft come in two versions: the Max 8 and the larger Max 9.

Boeing initiated the development of the Max series in 2011 to compete with a new, more fuel-efficient model introduced by its European competitor, Airbus. Marketed as an upgraded version of the 737 with minimal additional pilot training requirements, the Max underwent significant alterations, some of which were downplayed by Boeing. One prominent change was the introduction of an automated flight-control system called MCAS, intended to compensate for the plane's larger engines. However, Boeing omitted any mention of MCAS in airplane manuals, leaving many pilots unaware of its existence.

MCAS was implicated in two fatal crashes, claiming the lives of 346 individuals. The first crash occurred in October 2018 when a Max 8 operated by Lion Air crashed into the Java Sea. The second incident took place in March 2019, involving an Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 that crashed shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa.

Following a Justice Department investigation, Boeing agreed to a $2.5 billion settlement, acknowledging that its employees had misled regulators regarding the safety of the 737 Max. Part of this settlement included a $500 million fund for the families of victims, although lawsuits are ongoing.

In response to these tragedies and revelations, all Max jets were grounded worldwide for nearly two years to implement changes to the flight-control system. Investigations uncovered what a congressional panel described as a "horrific culmination" of regulatory oversights, design flaws, and inaction within Boeing.

In January, an Alaska Airlines flight over Oregon experienced a mid-air blowout involving a Max jet, prompting multiple federal probes, including a criminal investigation by the FBI. Investigators found that bolts crucial for securing the door-plug panel were missing after repair work conducted at a Boeing factory.

Prior to this incident, the Max encountered a series of production challenges. Boeing issued advisories to airlines to inspect the jets for potential loose bolts in the rudder control system, following the discovery of a missing nut during routine maintenance by an international operator. Additionally, an undelivered aircraft was found to have a nut that was not properly tightened.

The FAA recently advised pilots to restrict the use of an anti-ice system on the Max due to concerns that the inlets around the engines could overheat and detach. In December, Boeing requested a safety waiver from the agency while it devises a permanent solution, necessary for the delivery of its new, smaller Max 7 to customers.

In another instance, Boeing reported issues with fittings on Max jets at the junction of the fuselage and the vertical section of the tail. The company attributed this to a "non-standard manufacturing process" employed by its supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, based in Wichita, Kansas. Additionally, Boeing and Spirit identified improperly drilled fastener holes in the aft pressure bulkhead of some 737 Max models.

In June of last year, a United Airlines Boeing 737 Max experienced an engine fire upon landing in Newark, New Jersey. The flight crew detected a fire warning as the aircraft taxied, prompting the shutdown of the engine and the discharge of a fire suppressant. Although there was no visible smoke or fire, maintenance teams discovered a fuel leak and evidence of soot and heat damage.

Another incident under scrutiny occurred in December, when a United Airlines flight bound for Denver was forced to make an emergency landing in Wichita, Kansas, following reports of engine rumbling. Subsequent inspection revealed an engine fire after landing, fortunately resulting in no injuries.

In 2021, a Boeing 777 experienced a fan blade detachment shortly after departing from Denver with 239 passengers onboard. While no injuries were reported, the National Transportation Safety Board attributed the incident to inadequate inspection of the fan blades and insufficient frequency of manufacturer-recommended inspections.

Recent events also include a landing-gear tire detachment from a United Airlines Boeing 777 departing San Francisco, and an American Airlines 777 making an emergency landing in Los Angeles due to a flat tire.

In 2018, tragedy struck when a piece of engine housing tore off a Southwest Airlines-operated Boeing 737, causing a passenger's window to shatter. The woman seated beside the window was partially pulled out of the plane due to the sudden loss of cabin pressure. Fortunately, fellow passengers were able to pull her back inside. This incident serves as a grim reminder of the potential dangers associated with cabin breaches, a scenario reminiscent of the recent incident over Oregon that thankfully ended without fatalities.

Boeing's twin-aisle 787 aircraft has encountered manufacturing issues leading to occasional delays in deliveries.
In June, the company announced inspections of fittings on the horizontal stabilizer of the tail for any deviations from standard specifications. Most notably, 787 deliveries were paused last year as federal regulators reviewed documentation related to the work conducted on new aircraft.

 

THE WHISTLEBLOWER 

John Barnett, a former quality manager at Boeing who gained prominence as a whistleblower in 2019, was discovered deceased in early March 2024, a few days after court hearing on his case began.  

Before his death, Boeing whistleblower John Barnett told a friend named Jennifer a week earlier: "I'm not afraid, but if something happens to me, it's not suicide." Jennifer, a friend of Barnett's, stated, "I'm certain he didn't take his own life. It's impossible." This information was reported by South Carolina's ABC4 News. However a few days later, Barnett's family said that he died because of hostile work environment at Boeing, due to which, he was suffering from PTSD. 

In 2019, Barnett disclosed to the BBC that workers along the production line at a Boeing factory deliberately installed faulty parts in aircraft. He uncovered significant issues with the oxygen systems, suggesting that as many as one in four breathing masks might fail during emergencies.

Barnett raised concerns that passengers aboard Boeing's 787 Dreamliner could be left without oxygen in the event of sudden cabin decompression. Through testing, he found that approximately 25% of the oxygen systems could be defective and may not activate when required.

Following an examination of emergency oxygen systems, Barnett discovered a failure rate of 25% in the 787 Dreamliner. He attributed this to rushed assembly processes in South Carolina, which compromised safety standards.

Additionally, Barnett accused the workers of failing to maintain proper component tracking in the factory, allowing defective parts to go unnoticed. He also alleged that Boeing used substandard parts from scrap bins to avoid production delays.

Despite bringing his concerns to management's attention, no corrective actions were taken initially. However, in 2017, a review conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the US regulatory body, substantiated some of Barnett's apprehensions.

Also Read | Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun to step down by end of 2024 amid safety crisis: Report