Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday that he will investigate Boeing parts supplier Spirit AeroSystems regarding its operations and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts.
Spirit AeroSystems is one of the world’s largest aircraft parts manufacturers, producing fuselages for the Boeing 737 and 787 and wings for the Airbus A350 and A220. The company’s work with Boeing has faced increased scrutiny following the mid-air explosion of a door plug panel on a 737 Max 9 aircraft.
Paxton notified Spirit AeroSystems of the investigation in a letter requesting documentation of manufacturing defects in the product. He also wants the company to document its DEI efforts and whether they compromise its manufacturing processes.
“The potential risks associated with certain aircraft models are extremely concerning and potentially life-threatening to Texans,” Paxton said in a press release. “We will hold companies accountable who fail to maintain the standards required by law and will do everything we can to ensure that manufacturers take passenger safety seriously.”
Spirit AeroSystems did not respond to a request for comment.
The company has an April 17 deadline to submit the requested documents to the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General’s Office.
Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems are under increased scrutiny following the January 5 explosion of a door plug panel.
A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said four key bolts in the door plug frame were missing, which contributed to the accident, which caused the cabin to depressurize and the Alaska Airlines flight to be put on hold. The plane returned to Portland International Airport in Oregon for landing. .
Boeing catches up on ongoing plane debacle
Boeing has recently been plagued by safety concerns that began after a door panel on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 jet blew off on January 5 during a flight from Oregon to California. The plane, operated by Alaska Airlines, appeared to be missing four key bolts, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby shies away from Boeing after Alaska Airlines door explosion nearly catastrophizes, grounding the airline’s MAX 9 planes Then he threatened.
National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy warns that mid-air door explosions like the Boeing 737 MAX 9 fiasco “could happen again,” adding there are “problems” in the manufacturing process. Ta.
A week after the first accident, when a Boeing plane developed a crack in its cockpit window and was forced to make an emergency landing in Japan, disaster has struck again.
A Boeing 757 lost its front tire in late January while preparing to depart for an international flight. At Atlanta International Airport, a Delta flight bound for Bogota, Colombia, was taxiing across the runway to takeoff when another plane alerted the control tower to an abnormality.
Shocking photos later revealed that British passengers were alarmed when they noticed pieces of tape stuck to the exterior of a Boeing 787 during a flight to India.
On Monday, March 11, a United Airlines Boeing 777-300 leaked fuel in midair and was forced to make an emergency landing, marking the airline’s fifth reported accident in just over a week.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary previously said he had “loud complaints” to Boeing about quality control.
Whistleblower John Barnett raised safety concerns at the airline’s factories and gave his first testimony in the bomb case against Boeing. He was found dead in his truck after failing to appear for the second part of Monday’s testimony.
As a result of the incident, all 737 Max 9 aircraft were grounded for inspection. The plane returned to service in late January after being inspected by the airline, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the manufacturer.
Other incidents have added to the aerospace company’s woes, including Boeing’s discovery of holes in 50 undelivered 737 Max jets.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun, who announced this week that he would step down at the end of the year, visited Spirit AeroSystems about two weeks after the Jan. 5 incident.
Boeing is in discussions with Spirit AeroSystems about potentially acquiring the supplier, which was previously a subsidiary of Boeing.
Spirit confirmed a month ago that it was in talks with Boeing about a potential acquisition, but noted there was uncertainty about whether an agreement would be reached and completed.
