Engineers claim the aircraft giant took dangerous shortcuts in manufacturing the 787 Dreamliner.
U.S. aviation regulators have opened a new whistleblower investigation accusing Boeing of inadequate safety standards. This is the latest in a series of safety-related controversies at the beleaguered aviation giant.
Sam Salepour accused Boeing of retaliating against him after he identified a technical flaw that affected the structural integrity of the company's wide-body 787 Dreamliner and 777 jetliners.
Salepour, who has worked as an engineer for Boeing for more than a decade, alleges that the plane maker cut corners in the production of the 787 Dreamliner, resulting in parts of the plane being improperly secured.
He also claimed to have witnessed safety problems in the production of the 777, including cases of workers jumping onto misaligned parts and trying to assemble them.
“Our client has identified significant safety concerns and worked as hard as possible to communicate those concerns to Boeing officials,” attorneys Debra Katz and Lisa Banks, attorneys representing Salepour, said in a statement Tuesday. We have taken all possible measures.”
“Despite the well-founded and known issues raised by Mr. Salepour, Boeing did not heed his warnings and instead prioritized getting the aircraft to market as quickly as possible. Engineering Identified The above issues directly impact the structural integrity of Boeing's 787 and 777 aircraft and, unless corrected, will impact the entire aviation industry and everyone who flies.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed it was investigating the claims after details first emerged publicly in an interview with The New York Times.
A U.S. Senate subcommittee also subpoenaed Boeing CEO David Calhoun next week to answer questions about the allegations.
Boeing said in a statement that it had “complete confidence” in the 787 Dreamliner and denied retaliating against the whistleblower.
“We have complete confidence in the 787 Dreamliner due to the comprehensive work done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft. These claims regarding the structural integrity of the 787 Inaccurate,” the spokesperson said.
“The issues raised were subject to rigorous technical inspection under the supervision of the FAA. This analysis determined that these issues do not pose a safety concern and that the aircraft will have a serviceable life of several decades. has been verified. We continue to monitor these issues in accordance with established regulatory protocols and encourage all employees to speak up when they arise. At Boeing, retaliation is prohibited. It is strictly prohibited.”
Boeing also said the allegations about the 777 were “inaccurate.”
Boeing, which dominates the commercial aircraft market along with Europe's Airbus, has come under intense scrutiny over its safety record since January, when a door panel on a Boeing 737 Max exploded mid-flight.
The FAA ordered Boeing to suspend plans to expand production of the plane until it sees improvements in operations and quality control.
A National Transportation Safety Board preliminary report on the incident found evidence suggesting four key bolts designed to hold the door in place were missing.
The company has since been involved in a series of less serious accidents, including one in the US city of Denver on Sunday when the engine cover of a Boeing plane fell off shortly after takeoff.
Two fatal crashes involving the Boeing 737 MAX in 2018 and 2019 grounded the aircraft worldwide for more than 18 months.
Last month, another Boeing whistleblower, John Barnett, was found dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, days after testifying in a lawsuit accusing the company of retaliation.