Sunday, September 24, 2023
BusinessBoeing faces "fraud" charges for 737-Max crashes in Ethiopia, Indonesia

Boeing faces “fraud” charges for 737-Max crashes in Ethiopia, Indonesia

The US aircraft maker pleaded not guilty

Boeing, one of the world’s major aerospace manufacturers, is facing felony fraud charges in connection with two 737-Max jet crashes that occurred in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

The two crashes killed 346 people, cost Boeing more than USD 20 billion, resulted in a 20-month suspension of the best-selling aircraft, and drove Congress to approve broad laws reforming airplane certification.

Last Thursday, the company faced families of those killed in the crashes in a Texas court. Boeing pled not guilty to charges of deceiving and misleading federal authorities over the safety of an automated flight control system that investigators said had a substantial role in the accidents.

The charges were brought to court when the victims’ relatives objected to an agreement reached between Boeing and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to avoid a trial after the company was charged with fraud. The agreement requires the business to pay the victims’ families a USD 2.5 billion settlement in 2021 and admit to deceiving the FAA about the system’s safety.

- Advertisement -

In 2021, the DOJ pledged to withdraw the charges after three years, if Boeing follows the terms of the agreement,

The families of the victims have complained that the agreement with the DOJ was a “sweetheart agreement” that violated their rights and allowed the company to dodge full culpability for their role in the incidents, according to the BBC.

These family members traveled from across the globe to speak about the effect of the crashes that claimed the lives of their spouses, children, siblings, and parents.

Paul Njoroge fought back tears as he described the loss of his wife, three children, and mother-in-law in the Ethiopian plane crash. His little child was just 9 months old.

He told the court, “I’ll never know what my children might have been.”

The allegations against Boeing were filed during the same week that the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued its final report on the Ethiopian Airlines flight 302 crash, stating that a bird attack was most likely a contributing cause.

The Board also disputed assertions of electrical failure in the Ethiopian Accident Investigation Bureau’s (EAIB) final report, which it says is not supported by evidence. It also “concurred with the EAIB’s analysis of the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) and related systems and the roles that they played in the accident,” according to the final report.

The faulty reading was caused by the separation of the left angle of attack (AOA) sensor vane, which failed owing to an impact with a foreign object, most likely a bird, according to the NTSB. They were dissatisfied, however, because their comments on the EAIB’s final draft were not properly appended to the final report, as they had desired. 

- Advertisement -

Subscribe

Popular

More like this
Related

Tigray officials demand redesigned transitional justice model

Officials at the Tigray Interim Administration (TIA) reject the...

Controversial property tax proposes selective exemptions

Controversial property tax draft exempts religious institutions and small residences, with eligibility determined by the Finance Ministry based on services rendered. Stakeholders will gather on September 25 to deliberate upon the implications of the draft proclamation.

Yayu Fertilizer transferring reaches 85% after years of delay

Transferring of the long-stalled Yayu fertilizer project, originally awarded to MetEC, has finally made progress, reaching 85% completion. Despite challenges, the transfer to the Chemical Industry Corporation (CIC) is underway. However, the retrieval of 25 containers and compensation for displaced farmers remain unresolved issues, demanding prompt attention.

Nigeria’s leadership transition stalls Ethiopian airlines’ ambitious partnership

With a proven track record of successful collaborations across the continent, Ethiopian Airlines Group eagerly awaits the nod from Nigeria's new government to advance its partnership with Nigerian Air, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to uplifting Africa's aviation sector.