Hundreds could die if Boeing fails to handle quality issues, says whistleblower

Hundreds of people could die if Boeing fails to address quality issues, a whistleblower warned the United States Congress on Wednesday.

Sam Salehpour, an engineer at the planemaker, told a high-profile hearing on Capitol Hill that he feared "physical violence" after going public with his concerns, reports the Guardian. 

There is "no safety culture" at Boeing, he claimed, alleging that employees who raise the alarm are "ignored, marginalised, threatened, sidelined and worse".

Salehpour, who has worked at Boeing for more than a decade, said he had identified an issue with gaps between key sections of the 787 Dreamliner that has affected more than 1,000 jets in service, warning it was "likely to cause premature fatigue failure over time in two major airplane joints."

During the hearing, Ed Pierson, a former Boeing engineer now leading the Foundation for Aviation Safety, accused Boeing of engaging in a "criminal cover-up" following a cabin panel blowout that triggered the company's recent safety crisis. This incident, which occurred in January, has raised concerns about Boeing's production practices, particularly regarding its popular 737 Max jet. The company's entire fleet is now under intense scrutiny.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating claims by another witness, Salehpour, who alleges that Boeing cut corners to ease production challenges while manufacturing the 787 Dreamliner. Salehpour also raised concerns about the production of the 777, a wide-body jet.

Salehpour, prior to the hearing, urged Boeing to ground all 787 jets for inspection, citing potential fuselage issues that could lead to catastrophic failures after numerous flights. In written testimony, Salehpour stated that he reached out to US Senator Richard Blumenthal because he believed Boeing's safety problems, if left unaddressed, could result in a major commercial airplane disaster.

Boeing responded by stating that it had taken significant steps to promote a safety culture since 2020, acknowledging that more improvements are needed and that they are actively implementing changes throughout the company.

In recent days, the company has insisted the 787 and 777 are safe, describing Salehpour's allegations about the Dreamliner as "inaccurate". At a briefing this week, executives described how a rigorous program of tests and inspections had left the firm confident of the jets' durability.

Separately, as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates January's cabin blowout, Pierson noted the watchdog had "reiterated to Congress that Boeing has said there are no records" documenting work associated with the removal of a door from the jet before the incident, which forced the emergency landing of an Alaska Airlines flight.

"In my opinion, this is a criminal cover-up," Pierson said. "Records do exist documenting in detail the hectic work done on the Alaska Airlines airplane, and Boeing's corporate leaders know it, too ... I know this Alaska airplane documentation exists because I personally passed it to the FBI."

Pierson told senators that the records were supplied to him by "an internal whistleblower".

Boeing declined to comment on Pierson's allegation, referring questions to the NTSB. In a statement, the NTSB said it had not received documents detailing work on the Alaska jet's door plug "from Boeing or any other entity", urging anyone with relevant information to contact its investigators. Alaska was also contacted for comment.

Salehpour says he faced retaliation as he repeatedly sought to raise the flag inside Boeing over three years. "I was ignored," he told the Senate's permanent subcommittee on investigations. "I was told not to create delays. I was told, frankly, to shut up."

On one occasion when he tried to discuss problems, Salehpour alleged his supervisor said to him: "I would have killed anyone who said what you said if it was from some other group, I would tear them apart."

Boeing has insisted that retaliation was "strictly prohibited" at the company.