A report published on Monday by a panel of experts selected by the Federal Aviation Administration found a “disconnect” between Boeing’s senior management and other members of the company on safety culture, among other issues.
The U.S. Congress commissioned the review after two 737 Max 8s crashed in 2018 and 2019, resulting in the deaths of 346 people. The FAA picked the panel for the report, and it first convened in early March 2023.
The panel’s report included recommendations for FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker to implement based on the deficiencies observed.
“The Expert Panel observed a disconnect between Boeing’s senior management and other members of the organization on safety culture,” the report stated.
The panel also “observed inadequate and confusing implementation” of the components of a positive safety culture, noting in its report that since managers may be authorized to assess employee evaluations as well as perform investigative duties within their own reporting chain, this could create “hesitation in reporting safety concerns for fear of retaliation.”
While the panel was not tasked with investigating a specific incident, several quality issues were raised about Boeing during the panel’s work on the report.
“These quality issues amplified the Expert Panel’s concerns that the safety-related messages or behaviors are not being implemented across the entire Boeing population,” the document said.
The report follows a period of intense scrutiny for Boeing after a door plug sealing off an emergency exit on a 737 Max 9 plane detached midair on Jan. 5. The incident prompted the FAA to ground Max 9s for weeks, leading to the cancellation of thousands of flights.
The panel said that Boeing has six months to review its recommendations, create an action plan to follow through on those recommendations and share that plan with the FAA.
In a statement shared with HuffPost, Boeing said it cooperated with the panel’s review and appreciated its work.
“We’ve taken important steps to foster a safety culture that empowers and encourages all employees to share their voice,” the statement said. “But there is more work to do. We will carefully review the panel’s assessment and learn from their findings, as we continue our comprehensive efforts to improve our safety and quality programs.”
In response to the report’s release, the FAA said in a statement that it “will immediately begin a thorough review of the report and determine next steps regarding the recommendations as appropriate.”
“We will continue to hold Boeing to the highest standard of safety and will work to ensure the company comprehensively addresses these recommendations,” the statement read.