Boeing whistleblower says company dismissed safety concerns

A Boeing engineer claimed the plane manufacturer brushed off safety concerns about the production of the company’s 787 and 777 jets, according to a complaint filed with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  

Engineer Sam Salehpour, who said he has worked at Boeing for more than a decade, told the FAA there are sections of the fuselage of the 787 Dreamliner that are improperly fastened together and could break after thousands of trips, The New York Times first reported. 

In a Jan. 19 letter to FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker, Salehpour told the agency these issues were the result of changes to the fitting and fastening of sections in the assembly line. The fuselages for the plane are broken down into multiple, different-sized pieces and all come from different manufacturers, he told the Times. 

Lawyers for Salehpour told The Hill their client witnessed Boeing use shortcuts during the 787 production process that can drastically reduce the plane’s lifespan. 

“Our client identified serious safety concerns and did everything possible to bring those concerns to the attention of Boeing officials,” attorneys Debra Katz and Lisa Banks said in a statement. “Rather than heeding his warnings, Boeing prioritized getting the planes to market as quickly as possible, despite the known, well-substantiated issues Mr. Salehpour raised.”

A Boeing spokesperson told The Hill there have been changes made to the 787-manufacturing process over the years, but maintained these did not cause the issues alleged by Salehpour.

“This continuous improvement has resulted in higher quality and has had no impact on durability or safe longevity of the airframe,” the spokesperson said. “Our team’s work has included exhaustive testing and analysis to ensure the manufacturing process updates maintain the performance, full projected lifespan and strength of the airplane.”

When asked to confirm if the FAA is investigating Salehpour’s claims, a spokesperson for the agency told The Hill, “Voluntary reporting without fear of reprisal is a critical component in aviation safety. We strongly encourage everyone in the aviation industry to share information. We thoroughly investigate all reports.” 

Boeing pushed back on Salehpour’s claims about the 787, describing them as “inaccurate” and not representative of the “comprehensive work” being done at the manufacturing company. 

“We are fully confident in the 787 Dreamliner,” a Boeing spokesperson told The Hill, adding later, “the issues raised have been subject to rigorous engineering examination under FAA oversight. This analysis has validated that these issues do not present any safety concerns and the aircraft will maintain its service life over several decades.”

Salehpour’s lawyers claimed his direct supervisor and senior management at Boeing “retaliated against” him for voicing his concerns and threatened his with termination. Boeing said retaliation is “strictly prohibited” at the company. 

The claims come as Boeing faces mounting scrutiny over its compliance with safety standards following a midair blowout aboard an Alaska Airlines flight earlier this year. The blowout occurred when a fuselage panel on an Alaska Boeing 737 Max 9 blew off shortly after takeoff and left a gaping hole while 16,000 feet above Oregon. 

The plane was forced to make an emergency landing and the incident raised concerns about the manufacturer’s production and safety quality processes. 

The FAA is investigating the incident, along with two fatal Boeing crashes in 2018 and 2019 that involved Boeing 737 Max jetliners and killed 346 people. 

The 737 Dreamliners have previously come under scrutiny and in 2021, Boeing said about 783 airplanes had shims that were not the right size, while some did not meet skin-flatness requirements, Reuters reported. A shim is for filling small gaps in a product.