Mike Whittaker of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is telling lawmakers in Washington DC that he will hold Boeing accountable for any quality lapses as the agency investigates the manufacturing processes of the US aircraft-manufacturer.
Mr Whitaker says he will emphasise the importance of following the data and taking necessary action based on the findings. In a pre-appearance statement he said: “Let me stress: we will follow the data and take appropriate and necessary action.”
The agency plans to increase its presence and oversight by having more “more boots on the ground.”
The Administration says that its investigations have found that a door panel detached from a Boeing 737 MAX 9 plane mid-flight due to missing bolts.
Photo evidence shows the missing bolts were from the door plug, which had been removed for rivet rework.
The FAA grounded 171 Boeing 737 MAX 9 planes for inspections after the incident.
Most of the grounded planes were operated by Alaska and United Airlines and have since been cleared for service.
Boeing is taking accountability for the incident and has implemented a control plan for proper installation of door plugs.
The investigation is focusing on how the panel detached and the NTSB conducted tests and analysis on the missing bolts.
The Administration is conducting an audit of 737 MAX manufacturing due to concerns of quality issues.
