Ex-Boeing Inspector Reveals Pressure to Conceal Defects at Largest Parts Supplier
Former quality inspector exposes pressured defect hiding
Boeing’s largest parts supplier under scrutiny
- Santiago Paredes reveals pressure to hide defects on airline parts
- Federal Aviation Administration grounds similar aircraft for investigation
- Spirit Aerosystems safety culture deemed inadequate by federal investigators
A former quality inspector at Boeing’s largest parts supplier said Wednesday that he was pressured to hide defects found in airline parts, adding to scrutiny over the company’s quality control for its 737 aircraft. Santiago Paredes worked for over a decade as an inspector at Spirit Aerosystems, Boeing's largest parts manufacturer and subsidiary.
He told CBS News and the BBC that he wasn't surprised when missing door bolts led to an entire 737 Max door plug blowing out of an Alaska Airlines flight midair in January.
“Why'd that happen? Because Spirit let go of a defect that they overlooked because of the pressure that they put on the inspectors,” Paredes said. “If the culture was good, those issues would be addressed, but the culture is not good.”
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