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Boeing Pilot Complained of ‘Egregious’ Issue With 737 Max in 2016 Boeing Pilot Complained of ‘Egregious’ Issue With 737 Max in 2016
(about 1 hour later)
A Boeing pilot working on the 737 Max said in messages from 2016 that a new automated system was making the plane difficult to control in flight simulators, more than two years before it was grounded following two deadly crashes.A Boeing pilot working on the 737 Max said in messages from 2016 that a new automated system was making the plane difficult to control in flight simulators, more than two years before it was grounded following two deadly crashes.
The existence of the messages strike at a central part of Boeing’s defense over how the plane was certified to fly. For months, the company has maintained that the Max was certified in accordance with all appropriate regulations, suggesting that there was no indication that MCAS was unsafe.The existence of the messages strike at a central part of Boeing’s defense over how the plane was certified to fly. For months, the company has maintained that the Max was certified in accordance with all appropriate regulations, suggesting that there was no indication that MCAS was unsafe.
Yet in the messages, the pilot, Mark Forkner, complained that the system, known as MCAS, was causing him trouble in a flight simulator. “It’s running rampant in the sim,” he wrote to a colleague. The messages are from November 2016, months before the Max was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.Yet in the messages, the pilot, Mark Forkner, complained that the system, known as MCAS, was causing him trouble in a flight simulator. “It’s running rampant in the sim,” he wrote to a colleague. The messages are from November 2016, months before the Max was certified by the Federal Aviation Administration.
“Granted, I suck at flying, but even this was egregious,” he went on to say, according to a transcript of the exchange reviewed on Friday by The New York Times.“Granted, I suck at flying, but even this was egregious,” he went on to say, according to a transcript of the exchange reviewed on Friday by The New York Times.
[Read the messages.]
The 737 Max was grounded earlier this year after crashing twice in five months, killing 346 people. In both cases, MCAS malfunctioned based on erroneous data, sending the planes into unrecoverable nose dives.The 737 Max was grounded earlier this year after crashing twice in five months, killing 346 people. In both cases, MCAS malfunctioned based on erroneous data, sending the planes into unrecoverable nose dives.
Mr. Forkner was the chief technical pilot for the 737 Max and in charge of communicating with the F.A.A. group that determined how pilots would be trained before flying the plane. The Times previously reported that Mr. Forkner had failed to tell the F.A.A. that the original version of MCAS was being overhauled, leaving regulators with the impression that the system was relatively benign and would only be used in rare cases.Mr. Forkner was the chief technical pilot for the 737 Max and in charge of communicating with the F.A.A. group that determined how pilots would be trained before flying the plane. The Times previously reported that Mr. Forkner had failed to tell the F.A.A. that the original version of MCAS was being overhauled, leaving regulators with the impression that the system was relatively benign and would only be used in rare cases.
In the messages, Mr. Forkner states that during tests, the simulator reflected unexpected movements by the plane through a process called trimming.In the messages, Mr. Forkner states that during tests, the simulator reflected unexpected movements by the plane through a process called trimming.
“The plane is trimming itself like craxy,” he wrote to Patrik Gustavsson, a fellow 737 technical pilot at Boeing. “I’m like WHAT?”“The plane is trimming itself like craxy,” he wrote to Patrik Gustavsson, a fellow 737 technical pilot at Boeing. “I’m like WHAT?”
Mr. Forkner went on to say that he had lied to the Federal Aviation Administration.Mr. Forkner went on to say that he had lied to the Federal Aviation Administration.
“I basically lied to the regulators (unknowingly),” Mr. Forkner says in the messages, though it was not clear what he was specifically referring to.“I basically lied to the regulators (unknowingly),” Mr. Forkner says in the messages, though it was not clear what he was specifically referring to.
Eight months earlier, Mr. Forkner had asked the F.A.A. if it would be O.K. to remove mention of MCAS from the pilot’s manual. The F.A.A., which at the time believed the system would only activate in rare cases and wasn’t particularly dangerous, approved Mr. Forkner’s request.Eight months earlier, Mr. Forkner had asked the F.A.A. if it would be O.K. to remove mention of MCAS from the pilot’s manual. The F.A.A., which at the time believed the system would only activate in rare cases and wasn’t particularly dangerous, approved Mr. Forkner’s request.
[The New York Times was the first to report on Mr. Forkner’s role in the development of the 737 Max and his request to the F.A.A.][The New York Times was the first to report on Mr. Forkner’s role in the development of the 737 Max and his request to the F.A.A.]
“This is the smoking gun,” Representative Peter DeFazio, Democrat of Oregon, said in an interview. “This is no longer just a regulatory failure and a culture failure. It’s starting to look like criminal misconduct.”“This is the smoking gun,” Representative Peter DeFazio, Democrat of Oregon, said in an interview. “This is no longer just a regulatory failure and a culture failure. It’s starting to look like criminal misconduct.”
As chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Mr. DeFazio’s office is overseeing the investigation into the crashes.As chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Mr. DeFazio’s office is overseeing the investigation into the crashes.
Mr. DeFazio said he had reviewed other internal Boeing documents and emails that suggested employees were under pressure to produce planes as fast as possible and avoid additional pilot training.Mr. DeFazio said he had reviewed other internal Boeing documents and emails that suggested employees were under pressure to produce planes as fast as possible and avoid additional pilot training.
“Boeing cannot say this is about one person,” Mr. DeFazio said. “This is about a cultural failure at Boeing under pressure from Wall Street to just get this thing out there and make sure that you don’t open the door to further pilot training.”“Boeing cannot say this is about one person,” Mr. DeFazio said. “This is about a cultural failure at Boeing under pressure from Wall Street to just get this thing out there and make sure that you don’t open the door to further pilot training.”
Shares of Boeing fell on Friday, ending the day down by nearly 7 percent.Shares of Boeing fell on Friday, ending the day down by nearly 7 percent.
A lawyer for Mr. Forkner downplayed the importance of the messages, suggesting Mr. Forkner was talking about issues with the simulator.A lawyer for Mr. Forkner downplayed the importance of the messages, suggesting Mr. Forkner was talking about issues with the simulator.
“If you read the whole chat, it is obvious that there was no ‘lie’ and the simulator program was not operating properly,” the lawyer, David Gerger, said in a statement. “Based on what he was told, Mark thought the plane was safe, and the simulator would be fixed.”“If you read the whole chat, it is obvious that there was no ‘lie’ and the simulator program was not operating properly,” the lawyer, David Gerger, said in a statement. “Based on what he was told, Mark thought the plane was safe, and the simulator would be fixed.”
Flight simulators replicate real cockpits and are used to test planes during development. They can sometimes behave unpredictably, depending on their configuration.Flight simulators replicate real cockpits and are used to test planes during development. They can sometimes behave unpredictably, depending on their configuration.
Mr. Forkner, who is now a pilot for Southwest Airlines, and Mr. Gustavsson did not respond to requests for comment.Mr. Forkner, who is now a pilot for Southwest Airlines, and Mr. Gustavsson did not respond to requests for comment.
Reuters was first to report on the existence of the transcript.Reuters was first to report on the existence of the transcript.
Boeing provided the transcript to lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Friday morning, in advance of hearings this month at which the company’s chief executive, Dennis A. Muilenburg, will testify about the crashes for the first time.Boeing provided the transcript to lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Friday morning, in advance of hearings this month at which the company’s chief executive, Dennis A. Muilenburg, will testify about the crashes for the first time.
Boeing had provided the transcript earlier this year to the Department of Justice, which is conducting a criminal investigation, according to two people familiar with the communications who spoke on condition of anonymity because the exchange was not yet public.Boeing had provided the transcript earlier this year to the Department of Justice, which is conducting a criminal investigation, according to two people familiar with the communications who spoke on condition of anonymity because the exchange was not yet public.
The F.A.A. administrator, Stephen Dickson, sent Mr. Muilenburg a letter Friday morning demanding that the company account for why it did not provide the messages to the agency earlier.The F.A.A. administrator, Stephen Dickson, sent Mr. Muilenburg a letter Friday morning demanding that the company account for why it did not provide the messages to the agency earlier.
“I expect your explanation immediately regarding the content of this document and Boeing’s delay in disclosing the document to its safety regulator,” Mr. Dickson wrote.“I expect your explanation immediately regarding the content of this document and Boeing’s delay in disclosing the document to its safety regulator,” Mr. Dickson wrote.
A Boeing spokesman, Gordon Johndroe, said the company was “voluntarily cooperating” with the congressional investigation and provided the messages to lawmakers as part of that process.A Boeing spokesman, Gordon Johndroe, said the company was “voluntarily cooperating” with the congressional investigation and provided the messages to lawmakers as part of that process.
Jon Weaks, president of Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, said in a statement that “this is more evidence that Boeing misled pilots, government regulators and other aviation experts about the safety of the 737 Max.”Jon Weaks, president of Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, said in a statement that “this is more evidence that Boeing misled pilots, government regulators and other aviation experts about the safety of the 737 Max.”
“It is clear that the company’s negligence and fraud put the flying public at risk,” Mr. Weaks added. “As pilots, we have to be able to trust Boeing to truthfully disclose the information we need to safely operate our aircraft. In the case of the 737 MAX, that absolutely did not happen.”“It is clear that the company’s negligence and fraud put the flying public at risk,” Mr. Weaks added. “As pilots, we have to be able to trust Boeing to truthfully disclose the information we need to safely operate our aircraft. In the case of the 737 MAX, that absolutely did not happen.”