Photo Credit: Kyle Rinker

Increased Scrutiny and FAA Audit of Boeing Manufacturing Following Panel Failure on Midflight Jet

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will begin an audit of Boeing’s aircraft production and enhance supervision of the manufacturer, which has faced numerous incidents with its flagship aircraft, after a panel detached from a jetliner during flight last week.

The agency has recently declared an investigation into potential negligence on the part of Boeing regarding the safety and adherence to design standards of a fuselage panel that detached during a flight. This announcement comes just one day after the agency’s initial report.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Friday that it will conduct an audit of Boeing’s 737 Max 9 production line and its suppliers in order to assess the company’s adherence to their approved quality procedures.


According to the statement from the FAA, they will also investigate potential safety hazards that may arise from allowing company employees to handle inspection tasks on behalf of the agency. They will also take into consideration the possibility of transferring these responsibilities to an external third party.

In a statement, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker stated that it is necessary to review the delegation of authority and evaluate any potential safety hazards. The grounding of the 737-9 and the various production-related problems that have been identified in recent times have prompted the need to consider all possible approaches to minimizing risk.

The agency will also enhance its surveillance of 737-Max occurrences that occur during the aircraft’s operation.

On Thursday, Boeing stated that it will collaborate with the FAA’s investigation, which is currently honing in on the utilization of plugs to cover openings on Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners when those exits are deemed unnecessary for safety purposes.

The investigation by the FAA is currently centered on the plugs utilized to cover openings in cases where additional exits are deemed unnecessary for safety purposes on the Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft.

According to reports, a single plug on an Alaska Airlines aircraft malfunctioned, resulting in a puncture in the plane, shortly after its departure from Portland, Oregon. This caused a loss of cabin pressure and required the plane to return to Portland for an emergency landing.

Following the event, all Boeing Max 9s equipped with the necessary plugs were grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As a result, Alaska and United airlines had to reduce their flight schedules. The aircraft are still unable to fly as the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board conduct their investigation.