Investigation focuses on compliance and safety concerns
- Feds open criminal investigation into Boeing 737 Max midair blowout
- Investigation focuses on whether Boeing complied with previous settlement
- Alaska Airlines plane suffered blowout seven minutes after takeoff
- No serious injuries reported in the incident
- Boeing unable to find records for work done on the door panel
- Boeing and NTSB argue over cooperation in Senate committee hearing
- NTSB still unsure who removed and replaced the door panel
- FAA gives Boeing 90 days to respond to quality-control issues
The Department of Justice has opened a criminal investigation into the midair blowout incident involving a Boeing 737 Max aircraft. The investigation is focused on whether Boeing complied with a previous settlement related to the safety of its 737 Max planes. The blowout occurred on an Alaska Airlines flight shortly after takeoff, but there were no serious injuries. Boeing has been unable to find records for work done on the door panel of the affected plane, raising concerns about quality assurance and safety management systems. In a Senate committee hearing, Boeing and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) argued over cooperation, with the NTSB still unsure who removed and replaced the door panel. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has given Boeing 90 days to address quality-control issues raised by the agency and a panel of experts.
Factuality Level: 7
Factuality Justification: The article provides a detailed account of the Department of Justice’s criminal investigation into the Boeing jetliner blowout incident involving an Alaska Airlines plane. It includes information from various sources, such as documents, statements from Alaska Airlines and Boeing, and testimony from the National Transportation Safety Board. The article also mentions previous settlements and investigations related to Boeing’s safety issues. While the article contains some background information and details, they are relevant to the main topic of the investigation and help provide context.
Noise Level: 3
Noise Justification: The article provides detailed information about the Department of Justice’s criminal investigation into the Boeing jetliner blowout incident, including background information, statements from involved parties, and the timeline of events. It stays on topic and supports its claims with evidence and quotes. However, there is some repetitive information and unnecessary details that could be considered noise.
Financial Relevance: No
Financial Markets Impacted: No
Presence Of Extreme Event: No
Nature Of Extreme Event: No
Impact Rating Of The Extreme Event: No
Rating Justification: The article does not pertain to financial topics and does not describe an extreme event. It reports on a criminal investigation into a Boeing jetliner blowout that occurred on an Alaska Airlines plane, but there were no serious injuries and the investigation is focused on compliance with safety regulations.
Public Companies: Boeing (BA), Alaska Airlines (ALK), Spirit AeroSystems (SPR)
Key People: Ziad Ojakli (Boeing executive vice president and chief government lobbyist), Jennifer Homendy (National Transportation Safety Board chair), Maria Cantwell (Senator)
Reported publicly:
www.marketwatch.com 
