Whistleblower accuses Boeing of flaws in 787 Dreamliner, FAA investigates

Boeing 787 Dreamliner are under production at the Boeing manufacturing facility in North Charleston, South Carolina, Federal aviation authorities are investigating claims by a Boeing engineer that the 787 Dreamliner suffers from assembly defects that threaten safety, US officials said on April 9, 2024. (Photo by Logan Cyrus / AFP)

Boeing is currently under federal investigation following allegations made by a whistleblower claiming the malpractices of its 777 and 787 Dreamliner jets.

One of the engineers at Boeing, Sam Salehpour, has made serious allegations suggesting that the company has been doing shoddy work in the production of these crafts that could cause serious consequences as the models grow older.

The New York Times first reported about the whistleblower’s filing of a formal complaint, a document initially reported by the Federal Aviation Agency, FAA, in March 2019 and later this past Monday was leaked to the public.

Salehpour’s criticisms, although valid, do not relate to the 737 Max jet, which after two shortened periods of services, irrespectively, has been prohibited from flying by the FAA.

The whistleblower’s concerns are specifically about “two quality issues that may dramatically reduce the life of the planes.”

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In a press release, Salehpour expressed, “I am doing this not because I want Boeing to fail, but because I want it to succeed and prevent crashes from happening.” He further emphasized, “The truth is Boeing can’t keep going the way it is. It needs to do a little bit better, I think.”

FAA scrutinizing the allegations

The FAA has taken these allegations seriously and has conducted an interview with Salehpour as part of its ongoing investigation, as confirmed by his attorney, Lisa Banks.

“Voluntary reporting without fear of reprisal is a critical component in aviation safety…We strongly encourage everyone in the aviation industry to share information,” the FAA said.

Next week, a Senate subcommittee is scheduled to address these concerns in a hearing. While Boeing has not commented on the specific claims regarding the 777 model, it has contested the allegations about the 787 Dreamliner.

Boeing defended the structural integrity of the 787: “These claims about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft.”

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Boeing didn’t patch the small gaps while assembling

Salehpour’s complaint includes accusations that assembly crews on the 787 Dreamliner did not adequately fill small gaps when joining parts of the fuselage.

According to Salehpour’s attorneys, this oversight could lead to increased wear on the aircraft, reducing its lifespan and potentially resulting in catastrophic failure. These concerns are not entirely new; the FAA and Boeing previously paused deliveries of new Dreamliners for nearly two years, starting in 2021, to investigate these gaps. Boeing claims to have made necessary changes to its manufacturing process, and deliveries have since resumed.

The FAA was reportedly taken aback upon learning through Salehpour’s complaint that the issue with the gaps had not been fully resolved.

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