Boeing’s safety culture is 'inadequate' and 'confusing', new FAA report finds

A new report by federal safety experts found major issues with Boeing's safety culture — including a "disconnect" between senior management and other employees, and a fear of retaliation when reporting safety concerns.

The report released Monday had been requested by Congress and was completed by a panel of experts that convened in March 2023.

The report found “gaps in Boeing’s safety journey” and described the safety culture as “inadequate” and "confusing.”

While the experts didn't look specifically into Boeing incidents, they investigated the broader safety standards in the wake of two fatal 737 Max 8 crashes in 2018 and 2019 and years of headline-making issues.

Concerns were renewed when a Boeing-manufactured Alaska Airlines plane door panel blew out midair over Portland on Jan. 5, forcing an emergency landing.

A review of thousands of Boeing documents and over 250 interviews with employees found that not all employees understood the company's safety management systems.

There was also "employee confusion" among different work sites and groups due to "complex" and constantly-changing procedures and training.

The panel also found that after a restructuring at the company's Organization Designation Authorization unit, the chances of interference or retaliation had "decreased" but still persisted, "particularly with regards to salary and furlough ranking.”

The panel also found issues that affect aviation safety including “inadequate human factors” and a lack of pilot input in aircraft design and operation.

Overall, the panel listed 27 findings and 53 recommendations, which the FAA said it will thoroughly review.

“We will continue to hold Boeing to the highest standard of safety and will work to ensure the company