Justice Department launches criminal probe into Boeing 737 MAX Alaska Airlines incident

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has launched a criminal investigation following the Alaska Airlines incident in which a door panel on a Boeing 737 Max was blown off during the flight.

Investigators contacted some of the passengers and crew on the plane that made an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon, on January 5th. The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.

The news agency, citing documents and people familiar with the investigation, said the Justice Department had interviewed the plane’s pilot and flight attendants.

The Alaska Airlines flight was a Boeing aircraft that exploded shortly after takeoff at an altitude of 16,000 feet. The pilots landed safely and suffered no serious injuries, but criticism of Boeing has increased since the accident.

The part of the plane that was blown away was a panel that was blocking the space left for an additional emergency door. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) began an investigation immediately after the incident. The US Federal Aviation Administration is investigating Boeing’s overall safety.

The Hill reached out to Alaska Airlines for comment, but the company told the Associated Press, “It is normal for the Department of Justice to conduct an investigation in cases like this.”

“We are cooperating fully and do not believe we are a target of the investigation,” the airline said in a statement.

The Justice Department investigation comes after Boeing resolved a federal investigation into the safety of its 737 Max planes after reports of major crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed more than 300 people. The paper reported that the agreement will be useful in reviewing whether the terms of the settlement have been complied with.

The NTSB said earlier this week that Boeing had not yet submitted documentation regarding the manufacture and installation of the blown door plug. The NTSB said last month that after removing the panel, four bolts holding the door plug in place were missing, allowing employees to repair something nearby in September.

According to the Associated Press, Boeing acknowledged in a letter to Congress that it could not find records of work done on the door panels of Alaska Airlines planes.

Mr. Hill referred further comment from the Department of Justice and Boeing.