Boeing cannot offer vital information in door plug blowout inquiry, NTSB chair says

Investigators looking into the Boeing 737 Max incident are facing obstacles due to Boeing's insufficient documentation of crucial work processes.

Despite conducting interviews with employees at Boeing's Renton, Washington facility responsible for assembling the 737 Max, and gathering other documents, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been unable to identify the specific individuals within Boeing's factory who worked on the faulty door plug. This door plug, missing bolts, resulted in an incident on an Alaska Airlines flight in January. Boeing claims it has conducted searches for records but believes its employees did not adequately document the work.

Additionally, Boeing has failed to provide security footage from the September 2023 activities, which involved the removal and reinstallation of the door plug. During her testimony before the Senate Commerce Committee, Homendy, a representative of the NTSB, mentioned that although Boeing's facility is equipped with numerous security cameras, they were informed that footage is only retained for 30 days.