Following a December safety audit ordered by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing discovered another potential flaw in the design of its 737 Max aircraft.
During a safety audit ordered by the FAA in December, Boeing found another potential design flaw in its already grounded 737 Max aircraft. In a report, the company stated that discovered "previously unreported concerns" with wiring in the 737 Max
Last month, Boeing informed the FAA that it is examining whether two sections of wiring that control the tail of the plane are too close together and could cause a short circuit. If pilots did not react appropriately, this could potentially cause a crash.
A Boeing spokesperson confirmed the latest report and said: "Our highest priority is ensuring the 737 Max meets all safety and regulatory requirements before it returns to service. We are working closely with the FAA and other regulators on a robust and thorough certification process to ensure a safe and compliant design."
The spokesperson added that it "would be premature to speculate" whether the discovery could prompt the company to make design changes for the plane, or further push back the timeline for its re-certification.
The discovery could prove to be an additional challenge to incoming Boeing chief executive officer (CEO) David Calhoun, who will officially take over the helm on January 13 after former CEO Dennis Muilenburg was ousted on December 23.
With regard to the ousting, the company stated: "A change in leadership was necessary to restore confidence in the company moving forward as it works to repair relationships with regulators, customers, and all other stakeholders."
Prior to the removal of Muilenburg, the company announced in December its plan to halt production of its 737 Max aircraft beginning this month as it awaits re-certification from airline regulators globally.
The company’s stock price fell by over 4% at the market close and went down by another 0.67% after hours following the official announcement.
