Boeing says no documents found on 737 MAX 9 key part removal

WASHINGTON, March 8 (Reuters) - Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab said on 
Friday it believes required documents detailing the removal of a key part 
during production of a 737 MAX 9 that failed during a mid-air emergency 
were never created, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said last month the door 
plug that flew off an Alaska Airlines (ALK.N), opens new tab 737 MAX 9 jet 
mid-flight on Jan. 5 appeared to be missing four key bolts.

Boeing Executive Vice President Ziad Ojakli told U.S. Senator Maria 
Cantwell in the letter, "We have looked extensively and have not found any 
such documentation" and that the planemaker's working hypothesis was "the 
documents required by our processes were not created when the door plug 
was opened."

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy on Wednesday criticized what she called 
Boeing's lack of cooperation and failure to disclose some documents, 
including on the door plug opening and closing, as well as the names of 25 
workers on the door crew at the 737 factory in Renton, Washington.
"It is absurd that two months later we don't have it," Homendy told a 
Senate Commerce Committee hearing.

After Homendy's comments, Boeing provided the 25 names, the company and 
NTSB said, and Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun spoke to Homendy.

In the aftermath of the incident, which caused no injuries, the Federal 
Aviation Administration grounded the MAX 9 for several weeks in January, 
barred Boeing from increasing the MAX production rate and ordered Boeing 
to develop a comprehensive plan to address "systemic quality-control 
issues" within 90 days.

Boeing's letter said, "It appears from our records this list was requested 
from us for the first time on Saturday, March 2, by email, and the request 
was discussed by Boeing and the NTSB on Monday."

Homendy said on Wednesday the NTSB had been trying for two months to 
identify the specific MAX 9 production shift and employees, adding the 
board had told key lawmakers about its request for employee names during a 
Feb. 6 meeting.

"The NTSB needs to interview the employees," she said. "The only way we 
ensure safety is to find out what happened - what was done, what was not 
done."

NTSB investigators have been at the 737 plant since Sunday conducting 
interviews.

Before Wednesday's hearing "Boeing was not aware of any complaints or 
concerns about a lack of collaboration," Ojakli wrote, adding Boeing was 
"committed to continuing to cooperate fully and transparently with the 
NTSB’s investigation" and had provided "extensive records and documents."

He wrote that Boeing had previously provided names of dozens of employees 
on or around "the subject airplane during key periods, such as the shifts 
on which the door plug was opened and closed, including members of the 
door crew."

Homendy plans to send the Senate her own letter detailing the NTSB's view 
of Boeing's cooperation. An NTSB spokesperson did not immediately comment 
on Friday but has said she stands by her testimony.

Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by William Mallard

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/boeing-says-no-
documents-found-737-max-9-key-part-removal-2024-03-09/