Boeing gets hammered by NTSB for violation of investigative regulations

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken decisive action against Boeing after the company allegedly violated investigative regulations.

In a media briefing on Tuesday, a Boeing executive disclosed non-public investigative information and speculated about the causes of a door-plug blowout incident on a Boeing passenger jet in Portland.

In an NTSB news release, the agency said Boeing’s actions directly violated the agreement it had signed with the NTSB at the start of the investigation.

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As a long-standing participant in NTSB investigations, the agency said that Boeing “was well aware of the rules governing such disclosures.”

“Boeing blatantly violated the NTSB investigative regulations and Boeing’s signed party agreement with the NTSB by providing non-public investigative information to the media and speculating about possible causes of the Jan. 5 door plug blowout,” NTSB wrote in its release.

The NTSB said it would impose “a series of restrictions and sanctions” on the company.

Furthermore, Boeing faces an investigative hearing scheduled for Aug. 6 and 7 in Washington, DC. Unlike other participants, Boeing will not be allowed to question fellow parties during the hearing.

In a related development, the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating Boeing’s interactions with the FAA prior to the Boeing MAX fatalities. The NTSB will collaborate with the DOJ Fraud Division to address Boeing’s unauthorized release of investigative information in the 737 MAX 9 door plug investigation.

The NTSB outlined that its focus remains on determining the probable cause of the accident, rather than assigning blame to any individual or assessing liability. The agency is asking anyone with relevant information to contact it at witness@ntsb.gov.

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The preliminary report and related materials are accessible on the Alaska Airlines 1282 accident investigation webpage. For incident reporting or assistance, public safety agencies can reach the NTSB Response Operations Center (ROC) at (844) 373-9922 or (202) 314-6290 (24/7).

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.