US regulators place sanction on Boeing over door panel inquiry disclosures

Boeing was placed under sanction by US regulators on Thursday after the company disclosed information about an inquiry into why a door panel blew off a jet mid-flight and speculated about the cause of the incident.

The manufacturer “blatantly violated” investigative regulations as well as a signed agreement governing the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board even though “few entities know the rules better than Boeing”, the agency said in a statement. The sanction was imposed after Boeing held a briefing with journalists on Tuesday to detail its quality improvement efforts.

The incident has further strained relations between the plane maker and government agencies following the January blowout. Boeing is facing multiple investigations, including from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Justice. 

The NTSB said Boeing offered “opinions and analysis” on issues that might have caused the incident, and also portrayed the investigation as an effort to identify the person responsible for work on the door plug. The NTSB denied trying to assess blame in the investigation and said it was instead focused on the cause.

As a result of the sanction, Boeing will lose access to information the NTSB uncovers as it investigates the January accident. The NTSB also is subpoenaing Boeing to appear at a hearing in August.

The plane maker apologised to the agency, saying the briefing was an attempt to “work transparently” and better explain a plan it delivered to the FAA in May detailing how it intended to improve safety and quality.

“We deeply regret that some of our comments . . . overstepped the NTSB’s role as the source of investigative information,” Boeing said.

The NTSB launched an investigation following the January incident, when the door panel violently detached from the fuselage of the 737 Max shortly after take-off. A preliminary report from the agency found four bolts meant to secure the door panel were missing.

Boeing had invited reporters to tour its facilities near Seattle and hear from top executives about how it has improved manufacturing processes to prevent future safety lapses.