As if the aerospace company's situation wasn't bad enough, another Boeing whistleblower and current employee, Sam Mohawk, will testify in front of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, the first time since the 737 Max 9 door flew off during the Alaska Airlines flight in January.
WATCH: Mid-air horror after plane door was violently ripped off during a flight that forced an emergency landing. Now the FAA is asking for help finding the massive part. The story that keeps unfolding at the link. https://t.co/UlUFBDZV8S pic.twitter.com/fZD85ijXtz
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 7, 2024
Per the subcommittee statement:
"New whistleblower and current Boeing employee Sam Mohawk alleges that Boeing is improperly documenting, tracking, and storing parts that are damaged or otherwise out of specification and that those parts are likely being installed on airplanes. Mohawk has also alleged that he has been told by his supervisors to conceal evidence from the FAA, and that he is being retaliated against as result."
Related:
Boeing Whistleblower John Barnett’s Death Ruled Suicide
FAA Grounds 'Certain' Boeing 737 Max 9 Airliners After a Panel Blows Out During Flight
This is clearly not a good sign for Boeing's future, as more whistleblowers are coming forward against the aerospace company.
BREAKING: Bloomberg reports that whistleblower Sam Mohawk says Boeing 'mishandled and lost track of hundreds of faulty parts, some of which he said may have been installed on new 737 Max planes'.
— The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) June 18, 2024
Documents released by the subcommittee state:
"Whistleblower reports spanning more than a decade raise questions about Boeing's ability to timely source and track aircraft parts and ensure that damaged or inadequate parts ('nonconforming parts') are not used in aircraft production. At Boeing, when parts are deemed 'nonconfroming,' they are marked with a red tag or red paint and stored in a secure area of the factory called the Material Review Segregation Area ('MRSA')"
The subcommittee added that Mohawk told lawmakers in May that he personally saw them disregarding accountability for "nonconforming parts at Boeing Renton facility where the 737 MAX is manufactured."
A new Boeing whistleblower complaint alleges when the company restarted production of the 737 Max after two deadly crashes, there was “a 300% increase” in reports about parts that did not meet proper manufacturing standards.
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) June 18, 2024
He claims his team was told to cut corners. pic.twitter.com/1hiTBNlFJ0
The most recent whistleblower filed a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The documents added:
"Mohawk feared that non-conforming parts were being installed on the 737s and that it could lead to a catastrophic event."
A Boeing spokesperson said they are reviewing the whistleblower's claims.
"We continuously encourage employees to report all concerns as our priority is to ensure the safety of our airplanes and the flying public."
The question now becomes whether these employees—turned whistleblowers—brought up these concerns with the company and were ignored or went straight to the subcommittee. If it's the former, it is alarming, to say the least, that Boeing ignored those concerns and put the public at risk.
The Federal Aviation Administration mandated that Boeing address its safety issues before resuming normal production.
Prior to Tuesday's hearing, whistleblower Sam Salehpour, an engineer at the company, said:
Despite what Boeing officials state publicly, there is no safety culture at Boeing, and employees like me who speak up about defects with its production activities and lack of quality control are ignored, marginalized, threatened, sidelined and worse.
As anticipated, Boeing refuted Salehpour's allegations. However, the whistleblowers' testimonies are damning, and this may only be the beginning, with more individuals potentially coming forward to voice their concerns about the company.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member