The National Transportation Security Board announced Thursday that it would issue sanctions against Boeing, after the aerospace company violated the agency's investigative regulations.
Boeing allegedly provided information on aspects of an ongoing investigation into a Boeing 737 Max 9 door panel that blew out in mid-air in January.
The NTSB press release read,
"The National Transportation Safety Board announced a series of restrictions and sanctions on Boeing after the company blatantly violated 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 on a Boeing passenger jet in Portland, Oregon."
The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said Boeing had "blatantly violated" its rules by providing "non-public investigative information" and speculating about possible causes of the Jan. 5 Alaska Airlines ALK.N door-plug emergency during a factory tour attended by dozens of journalists.
The incident result in a major internal, external and public relations crisis about safety issues at the commercial airline maker.
NTSB said a Boeing executive who commented on the investigation in a media briefing on Tuesday had mischaracterized the investigation as trying to find the culprit.
In the briefing, Boeing portrayed the NTSB investigation as a search to locate the individual responsible for the door plug work.
The NTSB is instead focused on the probable cause of the accident, not placing blame on any individual or assessing liability.
As a result of this media briefing, the company will no longer have access to investigative information regarding the January incident.
"Because of Boeing’s recent actions, Boeing will retain its party status, but no longer have access to the investigative information the NTSB produces as it develops the factual record of the accident." " The NTSB may subpoena any relevant records it requires during the course of the investigation."
"The NTSB is focused on the probable cause of the accident, not placing blame on any individual or assessing liability," the agency said.
After the NTSB learned of the unauthorized release of information and requested additional information about the press briefing, Boeing provided the agency with a transcript.
The transcript revealed that Boeing provided non-public investigative information to the news media that NTSB had not verified or authorized for release. In addition, Boeing offered opinions and analysis on factors it suggested were causal to the accident.
The federal agency does not have the power to fine Boeing, but it could have removed the company as a party in the investigation. However, NTSB said it still needed the company's expertise.
The new sanctions come as Boeing faces another accusation that it violated a "deferred prosecution" agreement with U.S. Department Of Justice that was reached in 2021, which protected the company from criminal prosecution over fatal Max 737 crashes in Indonesia, and Ethiopia.
NTSB said that the preliminary report and other related materials are available on the on the Alaska Airlines 1282 accident investigation webpage.
On the "deferred prosecution" agreement with the U.S. Department Of Justice, Boeing has maintained that it did not violate the agreement, and vowed to cooperate with the Justice Department in its investigation into the alleged violations.
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