Boeing Faces US$3 Million FAA Fine for Safety Issues on 737 MAX 9

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed fines totaling US$3.1 million against Boeing for multiple safety violations, including lapses linked to a January 2024 in-flight emergency involving an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9. The proposed sanctions cover deficiencies observed between September 2023 and February 2024 at Boeing’s Renton, Washington, production facility and at Spirit AeroSystems’ Wichita, Kansas, plant, a key subcontractor for the 737 program.

The January 2024 incident involved a newly delivered 737 MAX 9 whose plug door detached minutes after takeoff from Portland. No injuries were reported. A 17-month investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded in June that “deficiencies in Boeing’s manufacturing and safety oversight, combined with ineffective FAA inspections and audits, contributed to the detachment”.

The FAA cited “hundreds of violations of the quality system” at both sites. It also found that a Boeing employee pressured a member of the company’s Organization Designation Authorization (ODA) unit—responsible for conducting certain inspections and certifications on behalf of the FAA—to approve a 737 MAX aircraft “so Boeing could meet its delivery schedule, despite the ODA member determining the aircraft did not meet applicable standards.”

Boeing said it will review the proposed fines, noting it launched a safety and quality plan last year under FAA supervision. “Boeing remains committed to addressing these issues and improving processes to ensure compliance with all safety and quality standards,” the company said.