This could be a damning accusation. A mechanic for more than 30 years at Boeing’s largest assembly plant has accused managers of trying to suppress workers from discussing safety concerns.
The man worked at a plant in Everett, Washington, that produced the 747, 767, 777, and 787 models.
Boeing’s issues
with quality assurance and safety have come under scrutiny since a January 5
incident in which a door panel blew off an Alaska Airlines plane in midflight.
The mechanic said many 787 Dreamliners at the Everett plant come from Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner Final Assembly building in South Carolina and could be flying with issues. Boeing has yet to comment on the allegations as several government agencies are investigating.
Another man claimed that Boeing failed to install fillers that would prevent fatigue over time. He said that more than 1,000 of the 787s are affected. On its website, the company previously wrote that all planes are safe and that it is confident in their structural ability.
“(There has been) comprehensive
work done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft. Claims
about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate," Boeing wrote.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the company is investigating the charges for failing to inspect the 787 models and that Boeing is re-inspecting all 787 jets in production.
"The FAA is
investigating whether Boeing completed the inspections and whether company
employees may have falsified aircraft records," the agency said in a
statement.
Boeing has previously
been accused of trying to impede the investigation.
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