New Boeing whistleblower alleges faulty parts 'likely installed' on planes, risking 'catastrophic event'
A new Boeing whistleblower has emerged alleging that parts determined to be "damaged or otherwise out of specification" are "likely being installed" on the company’s airplanes, raising the possibility of a "catastrophic event," a Senate subcommittee says.
The revelations from current Boeing employee Sam Mohawk, a quality assurance investigator at a production facility in Renton, Washington, come as the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations is set to question Boeing CEO David Calhoun Tuesday afternoon on alleged safety concerns linked to the aircraft maker’s manufacturing practices.
"New whistleblower and current Boeing employee, Sam Mohawk alleges that Boeing is improperly documenting, tracking, and storing parts that are damaged or otherwise out of specification, and that those parts are likely being installed on airplanes," the subcommittee said in a statement Tuesday.
"Mohawk has also alleged that he has been told by his supervisors to conceal evidence from the FAA, and that he is being retaliated against as result," it added.
Documents released by the subcommittee on Tuesday said, "Whistleblower reports spanning more than a decade raise questions about Boeing’s ability to timely source and track aircraft parts and ensure that damaged or inadequate parts ('nonconforming parts') are not used in aircraft production."
"At Boeing, when parts are deemed ‘nonconforming,’ they are marked with a red tag or red paint and stored in a secure area of the factory called the Material Review Segregation Area (‘MRSA’)," it said.
But the subcommittee says Mohawk approached lawmakers in May to inform them "he has witnessed systemic disregard for documentation and accountability of nonconforming parts at Boeing’s Renton facility, where the 737 MAX is manufactured."
"Mohawk feared that non-conforming parts were being installed on the 737s and that it could lead to a catastrophic event," the documents said, adding that he filed a complaint last week with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) over the matter.
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That complaint, released publicly on Tuesday, says "nonconforming parts may not be used on an aircraft before an engineering disposition granting approval to do so" and that "Mohawk believes many of the missing parts were unlawfully installed on aircraft."
"Mr. Mohawk alleges that the Renton Factory’s inability to adequately manage nonconforming parts led to the company ‘intentionally hid[ing] improperly stored parts from the FAA’ during one on-site inspection," the subcommittee also said.
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In a statement to FOX Business, Boeing said it received the documents late Monday and that it is "reviewing the claims."
"We continuously encourage employees to report all concerns as our priority is to ensure the safety of our airplanes and the flying public," a Boeing spokesperson added.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., chair of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, said, "This is a culture that continues to prioritize profits, push limits, and disregard its workers."
"A culture where those who speak up are silenced and sidelined while blame is pushed down to the factory floor," Blumenthal added in a statement. "A culture that enables retaliation against those who do not submit to the bottom line. A culture that desperately needs to be repaired."
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Testimony from Calhoun on Capitol Hill is expected to begin 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Fox News' Kelly Phares contributed to this report.