On March 8, 2017, the FAA granted Boeing an amended type certificate for the 737 Max 8, the 12th derivative of the 737 and the first successor aircraft to the 737 NG series. The first fatal crash of a Lion Air 737 Max 8 occurred just 17 months later near Jakarta, Indonesia. Another Max 8, this one operated by Ethiopian Airlines, crashed in March 2019 shortly after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The 737 Max fleet was grounded shortly after the Ethiopian Airlines accident and remains grounded to this day. A key contributing factor in both accidents was Boeing’s new software system called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS).
House Issues Report on 737 Max Cost, Consequences, Lessons
Key Takeaways:
- The two fatal crashes of the Boeing 737 Max 8, caused by the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) software, led to the worldwide grounding of the aircraft fleet.
- A preliminary investigative report found Boeing concealed crucial MCAS information from the FAA, customers, and pilots, made faulty assumptions, and prioritized production pressures over safety.
- The FAA failed in its oversight duties by accepting Boeing's arguments against safety features, rejecting its own experts' concerns, and not holding Boeing accountable, including failing to ground the Max after the first accident.
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