Boeing is facing the possibility of criminal prosecution for its role in the fatal crashes of two 737 Max aircraft, which resulted in the deaths of 346 individuals. Despite not facing criminal consequences in the past, this could change as a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department in Texas alleges that Boeing violated its compliance program by failing to implement measures to prevent and detect violations of American fraud laws.
The Justice Department discovered these violations while investigating a separate incident involving Alaska Airlines, where part of the cabin wall of a 737 Max 9 aircraft came loose during a flight due to missing bolts. This has brought Boeing’s ongoing safety and quality issues back into the spotlight.
If convicted, Boeing could face significant fines and stricter oversight from authorities. It could also potentially impact the company’s ability to obtain government contracts, including those for military aircraft. The Ministry of Justice is reviewing the case and Boeing has until June 13 to respond.
The two fatal crashes were attributed to software issues that interfered with pilot controls, with criticism directed at Boeing for not mandating special training for the software during certification by the FAA. In January 2021, Boeing reached a $2.5 billion agreement with prosecutors to avoid criminal prosecution, but this new development could change that outcome.
The threatened lawsuit related to the fatal crashes puts Boeing in a difficult position as it faces scrutiny from multiple sources, including the FAA for quality control issues and falsified test reports on other aircraft models. Convictions for violations of deferred prosecution agreements are rare, but under the Biden administration’s stronger stance against companies that breach such agreements, there is hope that justice will be served for those affected by Boeing’s actions.
