FAA Proposes $3.1 Million in Fines Against Boeing Over 737 Safety Violations

The Federal Aviation Administration is seeking $3.1 million in civil penalties from Boeing for numerous safety violations at the aerospace maker’s 737 production sites, the agency said Friday.

The proposed enforcement action covers violations identified from September 2023 through February 2024 and includes shortcomings tied to a January 2024 incident in which a paneled-over exit door, known as a door plug, blew out of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 shortly after departure from Portland, Oregon. None of the 171 passengers or six crew members aboard sustained serious injuries; pilots returned the plane to the airport and landed safely.

In its notice, the FAA said inspectors uncovered hundreds of quality-system violations at Boeing’s 737 factory in Renton, Washington, and at Spirit AeroSystems’ 737 facility in Wichita, Kansas. The agency said violations ranged from procedural lapses to problems with oversight and documentation. The FAA also alleged that a Boeing employee pressured a member of Boeing’s Organization Designation Authorization unit — a group authorized by the FAA to perform certain inspections and certifications — to sign off on a 737 Max airplane "so that Boeing could meet its delivery schedule, even though the ODA member determined the aircraft did not comply with applicable standards."

The National Transportation Safety Board, which led a 17-month investigation into the January door-plug event, concluded in June that lapses in Boeing’s manufacturing and safety oversight, combined with ineffective FAA inspections and audits, contributed to the failure that allowed the panel to detach in flight.

Boeing has 30 days to respond to the FAA’s proposed civil penalty. In a statement, the company said it is reviewing the agency’s notice and reiterated actions taken since last year under FAA oversight, including a safety and quality plan meant to strengthen safety management and first-time quality across its operations. "We regret the January 2024 door-plug accident and continue to work on strengthening our safety culture and improving first-time quality and accountability across our operations," Boeing said.

The proposed fine comes as Boeing remains under heightened scrutiny over production and safety practices. The 737 Max family has been central to earlier crises for the company after two crashes in 2018 and 2019 — in Indonesia and Ethiopia — killed a combined 346 people and prompted global groundings and redesigns of the jet’s flight-control system. In May, the U.S. Department of Justice reached a settlement that allowed Boeing to avoid criminal prosecution over allegations it misled regulators about the Max prior to those crashes.

The FAA’s enforcement action also arrives amid ongoing investigations into other Boeing aircraft. In June, a Boeing 787 operated by Air India crashed shortly after takeoff, killing at least 270 people. Investigators have not yet determined the cause of that accident and, to date, have not identified a systemic flaw tied to the 787 model.

The FAA’s notice did not specify the individual fine amounts attached to each violation. Civil penalties are intended to prompt corrective actions and compliance. The agency said the violations it identified spanned manufacturing procedures, quality assurance processes and documentation, and it cited the need for continued corrective measures at both Boeing and its subcontractor.

Regulatory scrutiny, third-party inspections and internal reforms are likely to shape Boeing’s next steps as the company responds to the FAA and continues to work with investigators and the agency on implemented reforms. The FAA’s proposed $3.1 million in fines is the latest regulatory step in a multiyear effort to address safety and production challenges at one of the world’s largest planemakers.