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NTSB sanctions Boeing over release of 737 MAX investigation details, flags to DOJ

The National Transportation Safety Board stated early on Thursday it was sanctioning Boeing for revealing nonpublic information of the ongoing examination into a 737 MAX midair emergency situation and referring its conduct to the Justice Department.

The NTSB stated Boeing had actually blatantly violated the agency's. investigative policies by offering non-public investigative. information to the media and speculating about possible causes. of the Jan. 5 Alaska Airlines door plug blowout.

The relocation by Boeing has actually further deepened the stress. between the crisis-hit planemaker and government agencies at a. time when it is trying to prevent criminal charges being brought. by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) ahead of a July 7. due date.

The NTSB stated Boeing would maintain its status as a party to. the examination into the Alaska Airlines incident, however it. would no longer have access to the information the agency. produces during its probe.

The planemaker will not be enabled to ask concerns of. other participants at an investigative hearing on August 6-7,. whereas other individuals at the hearing will be enabled to do. so.

As a party to numerous NTSB investigations over the past. years, couple of entities understand the guidelines much better than Boeing, the. NTSB stated.

The NTSB said Boeing had actually breached a contract with the. company throughout a media instruction about quality improvements at its. commercial airplanes division on Tuesday in Washington state.

A Boeing executive provided investigative information. and gave an analysis of factual information formerly. launched, the company said. Both of these actions are. forbidden by the party arrangement that Boeing signed.

The NTSB, which will subpoena Boeing to appear at the. investigative hearing in August, also said it would refer. Boeing's recent conduct to the DOJ.

Boeing did not react right away to an ask for comment. outside normal organization hours.

DOJ SCRUTINY

In May, the DOJ stated Boeing had broken a 2021 settlement. arrangement with district attorneys that protected it from criminal. prosecution over its interactions with the Federal Air travel. Authority prior to deadly MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that. eliminated 346 people.

Even before the NTSB sanctions, U.S. prosecutors were. suggesting criminal charges be brought against Boeing after. discovering it broke the deferred prosecution arrangement that. needed it to upgrade its compliance practices, . reported on Sunday.

Given that Boeing is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice in relation to its Deferred Prosecution. Agreement ... the NTSB will be coordinating with the DOJ Scams. Department to provide information about Boeing's current unapproved. investigative info releases in the 737 MAX 9 door plug. examination, the agency stated.

The DOJ has a different criminal probe into limit 9. door plug emergency. In February, the NTSB said the door panel. was missing out on four key bolts.

The NTSB stated on Thursday that after it had actually discovered of. the unauthorized release of information, Boeing offered the. company with a records of the media rundown.

The transcript exposed that Boeing offered non-public. investigative details to the news media that NTSB had not. validated or authorized for release, the NTSB said.

Boeing offered viewpoints and analysis on elements it. suggested were causal to the accident, it added.

It is the latest stress between Boeing and the NTSB. In. March, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy stated at a U.S. Senate hearing. that Boeing had failed to provide the names of staff members on its. 737 MAX door team for 2 months, drawing criticism from. lawmakers. Boeing then rapidly provided the names.

The NTSB stated on Thursday that Boeing had actually portrayed its. investigation to media as a search to locate the person. accountable for the door plug work.

The NTSB is instead concentrated on the possible cause of the. mishap, not positioning blame on any individual or evaluating. liability, the agency stated.

The criticism of Boeing followed Homendy said on Tuesday. that railroad operator Norfolk Southern threatened the. board, looked for to make evidence and failed to offer. documents during its examination of a 2023 Ohio derailment.

(source: Reuters)