Woes mounted for troubled US aircraft manufacturer Boeing following US Federal regulators’ reported move to investigate a whistleblower’s claims about flaws in the assembly of Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.
This followed longtime Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour going public Tuesday with claims that he observed problems with how parts of the plane’s fuselage were fastened together, media reports said.
A spokesman for the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the agency is investigating those allegations, which were first reported by the New York Times, but declined to comment further on them.
Boeing immediately pushed back. “These claims about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work Boeing has done to ensure the quality and long-term safety of the aircraft,” Boeing spokeswoman Jessica Kowal said in a statement, according to media reports.
“We are fully confident in the 787 Dreamliner,” the spokeswoman said.
Salehpour, in his public comments, also warned that production “shortcuts” could significantly shorten the lifespan of the plane, eventually causing the fuselage to fall apart in mid-flight.
“If left unchecked, this could result in catastrophic failure,” Salehpour said Tuesday during a press briefing to discuss his claims.
The latest whistleblower allegations come at a difficult time for Boeing.
The company was plunged into crisis in January when a door plug panel blew off a 737 Max jet in midair, renewing troubling questions about quality and safety at the company.
Last month, CEO Dave Calhoun announced he will step down at the end of the year.
This is not the first time a Boeing whistleblower has raised concerns about the 787.
John Barnett, a former Boeing quality control manager, went public with a string of problems he says he identified at the plant in South Carolina where he once helped inspect the Dreamliner.
Barnett was found dead in his truck of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in March.
He was in the midst of testifying in a deposition related to his wrongful termination lawsuit against the company, when found dead.
Police in Charleston, S.C., are investigating Barnett’s death.
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