A former Boeing employee-turned-whistleblower, has released documents through the Foundation for Aviation Safety that suggest an electrical malfunction may have potentially contributed to the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash.
These documents outline a series of electrical issues that were discovered during the assembly of the aircraft. This had notably resulted in “uncommanded rolls” and other potentially dangerous flight behaviors.
Whistleblower Revelations
In a covering email to the NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, former Boeing staffer Ed Pierson addressed the information supplied. He stated that the documents should have been shared with the NTSB by Boeing and the FAA over five years ago.
Aircraft records were supplied by Pierson relating to the Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft with tail number ET-AVJ. This is the Ethiopian Airlines aircraft which conducted the fatal flight ET302 on 10 March 2019.
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The report describes an inflight incident on 7 December 2018. This saw the aircraft carry out an uncommanded roll to the right at 1,000 feet AGL. The aircraft was on autopilot and conducting an approach to Addis Ababa when the incident occurred.
The report goes on to show that Boeing had reviewed the incident report and had suspected an intermittent electrical fault.
While the official investigations into the crash have primarily focused on the MCAS software system, whistleblower Ed Pierson’s allegations now raise a set of new questions about the safety of the aircraft. It has called into question the potential role of other manufacturing defects in the 737 MAX tragedy.
The Question of Further 737 MAX Problems
Pierson’s revelations come at a time when both the US plane manufacturer and the Boeing 737 MAX program have faced increased regulatory scrutiny. The MCAS system has undergone significant modifications to prevent future accidents. However, the whistleblower’s claims potentially suggest that there may be additional safety concerns that need to be addressed.
The documents released by Pierson further serve to highlight the importance of thorough testing and quality control in the manufacturing process.
If the allegations are proven to be true, it could lead to a deeper investigation into the root causes of the 737 MAX crashes. It raises fresh questions about the adequacy of Boeing’s safety culture and procedures.
The whistleblower’s allegations have sparked intense debate among aviation experts and the public. Some now question whether the electrical issues raised by Pierson may perhaps have played a contributing role leading to the Ethiopian Airlines crash.
The release of Pierson’s documents also reignites concerns about the transparency of Boeing’s investigations and the company’s commitment to safety. Boeing has maintained that the 737 MAX is now safe to fly. However, the whistleblower’s allegations question whether there still may be underlying issues that the company has not fully addressed.
As the investigation into the Boeing 737 MAX crashes continues, the whistleblower’s allegations provide a new perspective on the tragedy. If the claims are substantiated, it could have further implications for the aircraft.
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