Boeing in hot water again for sharing details of plane incident investigation

Boeing is facing fresh criticism after a disclosure about a January incident involving a 737 Max plane. During a factory tour, a Boeing executive revealed details about the missing bolts that led to a panel detaching mid-flight.

This information sharing angered the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), who called it a “blatant violation” of their investigation rules. The NTSB is investigating the incident and says Boeing isn’t allowed to discuss details or speculate on causes. As punishment, they’ll restrict Boeing’s access to investigation info and bar them from questioning others at an upcoming hearing.

This comes after two deadly Max crashes in 2018 and 2019, raising concerns about Boeing’s past assurances of improved safety measures. The January incident and reports from employees suggest those changes haven’t been enough.

Boeing is making some adjustments though. They’re requiring stricter inspections of plane bodies before final assembly and have reduced production due to limitations from the Federal Aviation Administration. They’ve also implemented more training for new hires and are streamlining procedures to reduce errors.

Overall, this incident highlights Boeing’s ongoing struggle to regain trust after past safety issues. While they’re making changes, the NTSB’s reaction shows the importance of following investigation protocol.