Boeing Close to Deal to Avoid Prosecution for 737 Max Crashes

Attorney representing family members of victims says the agreement ‘isn't justice.’

Caleb Revill

Friday, May 16, 2025 at 03:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

An Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 sits in the maintenance area. [ AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has reportedly offered Boeing a non-prosecution agreement in a criminal negligence lawsuit concerning two fatal 737 Max crashes.
If approved by a judge, this agreement would allow Boeing to avoid felony charges, despite the case previously being set for trial after the company backed out of a guilty plea agreement.
Families of the victims have strongly condemned the reported plan, viewing it as a "backroom deal" where a financial penalty is prioritized over justice and accountability for Boeing's admitted crimes.

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The U.S. Department of Justice has reportedly offered Boeing a non-prosecution agreement in a criminal negligence lawsuit the company is facing for two fatal 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.

A Reuters report on Friday cited “people familiar with the matter” who said the company reached the agreement with the DOJ pending a judge’s approval. If approved, the agreement would see Boeing avoid facing felony charges.