FAA chief to tell lawmakers agency will hold Boeing accountable for any safety violations

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief Mike Whitaker is expected to tell lawmakers Tuesday that Boeing will be held accountable by the agency for violations of safety regulations, according to reports.

“We will consider the full extent of our enforcement authority to ensure Boeing is held accountable for any non-compliance” with regulations, Whitaker wrote in prepared remarks, shared with The Associated Press, also noting that the agency will increase personnel tasked with monitoring activities.

He is set to testify before the House Transportation and Infrastructure aviation subcommittee Tuesday morning, in the first hearing centered on the Alaska Airlines incident in which saw a door panel blow off of a Boeing 737 Max 9 jet midflight last month.

Committee leaders released a list of planned questions Friday, addressing topics including whether the FAA has found “any evidence of persistent quality control lapses in any of Boeing’s production lines,” what further action the agency is considering after the blowout and whether there is sufficient staffing to conduct proper oversight.

Committee leaders will also ask about communication between the administration, Boeing, and the affected airlines — United and Alaska — and about the FAA’s oversight of the quality-assurance inspections conducted by the aircraft manufacturer.

“We support the decisions made thus far by the [FAA] regarding the MAX 9 aircraft, including the announced audit of Boeing’s quality control and safety practices and investigation into Boeing’s 737 MAX 9 manufacturing,” committee leaders wrote in the letter last week.

“These actions, including those regarding the return to service, are designed to ensure that the highest manufacturing and quality control standards are maintained throughout our aviation ecosystem,” they added.

Boeing has come under heightened scrutiny since the incident in January, which left a gaping hole in the side of the aircraft as it flew over Oregon. It is also facing multiple lawsuits surrounding the midair blowout.

The company also experienced backlash following two fatal plane crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019 that killed hundreds.

The National Transportation Safety Board is preparing to release its preliminary report of the incident, and an internal probe is still being conducted by Boeing.