Boeing CEO stepping down after series of accidents 

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun will step down from his role at the end of this year, the company announced Monday, as the aircraft manufacturer faces increased scrutiny following a series of high-profile accidents.

calhounby letter On Monday, the company announced its plans to step down and said it had been “considering for some time” the appropriate time to replace its CEO.

The letter began with a nod to the Alaska Airlines mid-air explosion that blew off a Boeing 737 Max 9’s fuselage panel and left a gaping hole at 16,000 feet over Oregon in January. The plane was forced to make an emergency landing, and although no serious injuries were reported, the incident prompted a series of investigations into Boeing’s production and safety compliance measures.

“As you all know, the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 incident was a watershed moment for Boeing, and we must continue to respond to this incident with humility and complete transparency. A thorough commitment to safety and quality must be instilled at every level,” Calhoun wrote in the letter. “The world’s eyes are on us. We are building on all the learnings we have accumulated over the past years as we worked together to rebuild Boeing to become a better company. I’m confident we can get through this moment.”

Mr. Calhoun, 66, told employees he initially agreed to the CEO job at the request of Boeing’s board of directors, calling it “the greatest privilege of my life.” He began playing the role in 2020.

The company will also undergo a series of other personnel and board changes, including the immediate retirement of Stan Diehl, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Calhoun said he will be replaced by Stephanie Pope, who recently became Boeing’s chief operating officer and has nearly 30 years of experience with the company.

Board Chairman Larry Kellner will step down later this year and will not stand for re-election at Boeing’s annual meeting in May, Boeing added. Steve Mollenkopf, who has served on the board since 2020, will succeed Kellner as chairman and lead the board’s process to select Boeing’s next CEO.

Boeing is facing multiple investigations into its production and manufacturing processes following the January explosion.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is investigating both the explosions and changes that occurred after Boeing’s two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019, called the company’s safety culture “inadequate” in a report last month. It’s confusing,” he said. The crashes in 2018 and 2019 involved Boeing 737 Max jetliners and killed 346 people.

The Justice Department also opened a criminal investigation into Boeing earlier this month after the company admitted it could not find records sought by the National Transportation Safety Board regarding its work on the blown-out panels.

Three lawsuits were filed earlier this year over the explosion, two involving passenger groups and a third by a shareholder alleging “gross safety negligence.”