A current Boeing employee has come forward with allegations that the company attempted to conceal defective or out-of-specification parts for its 737 Max planes from regulators, according to a Senate subcommittee investigation made public on Tuesday.
Sam Mohawk, a quality assurance employee at Boeing's Renton, Washington facility, claims that Boeing hid nonconforming parts from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors by moving them out of sight and falsifying records. Mohawk alleges that many of these parts were unaccounted for and may have been installed in some aircraft.
Boeing acknowledged receiving the report from Congressional investigators on Monday evening and stated, "We are reviewing the claims. We continuously encourage employees to report all concerns as our priority is to ensure the safety of our airplanes and the flying public."
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun is set to address these new allegations, along with other safety concerns at his first congressional hearing on Tuesday. In his prepared testimony shared with CNN, Calhoun plans to admit to issues within the company's culture but will dispute claims of retaliation against employees who reported safety problems.
“Much has been said about Boeing’s culture. We’ve heard those concerns loud and clear,” Calhoun will state in his prepared remarks. “Our culture is far from perfect, but we are taking action and making progress. We understand the gravity, and we are committed to moving forward.”
This admission follows significant scrutiny of Boeing, especially since a January 5 incident where an Alaska Air Boeing 737 Max experienced a door plug blowout, damaging the plane and exacerbating Boeing's reputation issues.
The FAA has mandated that Boeing addresses its safety issues before resuming normal production which could impact airlines that are unable to receive their ordered planes. This has led to higher fares for passengers and further eroded trust in the safety of Boeing's aircraft.
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