The audit was prompted by a Jan. 5 mid-air emergency involving a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 that lost a door plug at 16,000 feet (4,877 meters). The FAA previously barred Boeing from expanding 737 production
The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday said the agency’s 737 MAX production audit into Boeing and supplier Spirit AeroSystems found multiple instances where the companies allegedly failed to comply with manufacturing quality control requirements.
The FAA also said it found “non-compliance issues in Boeing’s manufacturing process control, parts handling and storage, and product control.”
The audit was prompted by a Jan. 5 mid-air emergency involving a new Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 that lost a door plug at 16,000 feet (4,877 meters). The FAA previously barred Boeing from expanding 737 production.
Last week, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said Boeing must develop a comprehensive plan to address “systemic quality-control issues” within 90 days following an all-day meeting with CEO Dave Calhoun.