New Boeing whistleblower Sam Mohawk claims ‘defective parts likely being used on Boeing planes & were hidden from FAA’
A NEW whistleblower has come forward claiming that Boeing is using non-conforming parts on its 737 Max planes.
Sam Mohawk, a current Boeing employee, alleged that the company has cut corners by losing track of parts that have been labeled as being not up to design standards, said Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal.
The US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations released the information on Mohawk, who works as a quality assurance inspector in Renton, Washington, on Tuesday.
Mohawk claimed that non-conforming parts get a second chance since they can be fixed or were mislabeled.
“Mohawk feared that non-conforming parts were being installed on the 737s and that it could lead to a catastrophic event,” read a statement from the subcommittee, adding that Mohawk filed a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
“He said that he has been told by his supervisors to conceal this evidence from the FAA, and that he is being retaliated against as well,” Blumenthal said in a statement.
“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.”
Mohawk claimed that his supervisors told him to hide evidence from the FAA and that he was being retaliated against as a result, said the subcommittee.
Boeing responded to the claims in a new statement.
“We received this document late Monday evening and are reviewing the claims,” said a spokesperson.
“We continuously encourage employees to report all concerns as our priority is to ensure the safety of our airplanes and the flying public.”
‘FAR FROM PERFECT’
Boeing CEO David Calhoun, who has led the company since 2020 will speak to lawmakers later today on the company’s safety culture.
“Our culture is far from perfect, but we are taking action and making progress,” he said in prepared remarks ahead of the hearing.
“We understand the gravity.”
The company has drawn criticism ever since an unused door fell off a brand new 737 Max plane during an Alaska Airlines flight.
During an ongoing investigation, Boeing whistleblowers told the Senate in April that there were major production issues with the 737 Max, the 787 Dreamliner, and the 777 models.
Calhoun will have to answer tough questions regarding Boeing’s response to these concerns.
BOEING'S RECENT BLUNDERS
BOEING has faced scrutiny in 2024 after a series of concerning malfunctions.
Here’s a list of some of the biggest incidents regarding the aircraft maker:
- January 5 – An Alaska Airlines flight is forced to make an emergency landing after a window was ripped out mid-flight.
- January 24 – A Delta flight loses its front tire during takeoff at the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia.
- March 7 – A wheel drops from a United Airlines flight heading to Japan during takeoff.
- March 13 – A Boeing 777 is spotted leaking hydraulic fluid during takeoff for a United Airlines flight from Sydney, Australia, to San Francisco, California.
- March 14 – An American Airlines flight has to make an emergency landing after one of its tires blew out.
- March 19 – The windscreen on a Boeing 737 cracks as an Alaskan Airlines flight makes its landing.
- March 31 – A pilot on a United Airlines flight is forced to return to Frankfurt Airport after feces from the waste tank in one of the toilets overflowed, causing a foul smell in the cabin.
- April 2 – An Alaska Airlines flight is forced to return to the airport after a faulty bathroom overflowed and sent water flowing down the cabin.
- April 8 – A Southwest Airlines flight has to make an emergency landing in Denver, Colorado, after the engine cover ripped off mid-flight.
Despite the seemingly constant media circus around Boeing recently, concerns about its safety and quality control conditions aren’t new.
Five years ago, two 737 Max aircraft were lost in separate, yet nearly identical incidents, killing 346 people.
The families of the victims will be present at the Senate hearing, where Calhoun is expected to apologize.
“We are deeply sorry for your losses,” he said in his prepared opening comment.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of the people who step on board our airplanes.”
Calhoun stepped in as CEO of Boeing after former boss, Dennis Muilenburg, received harsh criticism in the aftermath of the incidents.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Boeing for comment.