FAA Critical of Boeing Safety Culture

The agency's 50-page report cites areas where the aerospace giant needs improvement.

Tuesday, February 27, 2024 at 04:51 PM ET

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The FAA brought in several outside sources to review Boeing's safety culture and found it lacking in many places, including internal oversight. [ Ian Dewar Photography/Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

A recent FAA-commissioned report identified a significant disconnect between Boeing's senior management and engineering employees regarding safety oversight, pointing to systemic flaws in the company's safety culture.
Key issues highlighted include employees' fear of retaliation for reporting safety concerns, inadequate consideration of "human factors" in aircraft design, and a general lack of awareness of safety-related metrics across the organization.
Boeing is required to submit an action plan to the FAA within six months, addressing over 50 recommendations aimed at improving its safety culture and operational quality, with the company acknowledging the need for change.

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A 50-page report commissioned by the FAA and released Monday calls attention to “a disconnect between Boeing’s senior management and engineering employees with respect to safety oversight.”

The report, compiled and written by a panel of independent aviation experts, including representatives from several airlines, unions, academic institutions, and manufacturers of components used in Boeing commercial aircraft, identifies multiple soft spots in Boeing’s present safety culture.