UBoeing ubekwe icala lokukhwabanisa uMax okungu-737, ukukhokha ngaphezulu kuka- $ 2.5 billion wenhlawulo

Inkampani iBoeing (Boeing) ingene esivumelwaneni noMnyango Wezobulungiswa sokuxazulula icala lobugebengu elihlobene netulo lokukhohlisa iFederal Aviation Administration's Aircraft Evaluation Group (FAA AEG) mayelana nokuhlolwa kwe-FAA AEG ngendiza iBoeing's 737 MAX yendiza .

IBoeing, okuyinhlangano yamazwe amaningi eseMelika eklama, ekhiqiza futhi ithengise izindiza zezindiza ezinkampanini zezindiza emhlabeni wonke, ingene esivumelwaneni sokushushisa esinqunyelwe (DPA) mayelana nemininingwane yobugebengu efakwe namuhla esifundeni esiseNyakatho neTexas. Imininingwane yobugebengu ikhokhisa le nkampani ngecala elilodwa lokuzama ukukhwabanisa iMelika. Ngaphansi kwemibandela ye-DPA, iBoeing izokhokha inani eliphelele lemali lobugebengu elingaphezu kwezigidi eziyizinkulungwane ezingama- $ 2.5, eliqukethe inhlawulo yemali yobugebengu engu- $ 243.6 million, izinkokhelo zesinxephezelo kumakhasimende ezindiza zezindiza zakwaBoeing ezingama- $ 737 billion, nokusungulwa kwengozi eyizigidi ezingama- $ 1.77 -i-victim beneficiaries fund ukuze inxephezele izindlalifa, izihlobo, kanye nabazuzi ngokusemthethweni kwezabagibeli abangama-500 abashone ezingozini zeBoeing 346 MAX zeLion Air Flight 737 ne-Ethiopian Airlines Flight 610.

“Izingozi ezidabukisayo ze I-Lion Air Indiza 610 ne- Ama-Ethiopian Airlines IFlight 302 iveze inkohliso nenkohliso yabasebenzi bakomunye wabakhiqizi bezindiza abahamba phambili emhlabeni, ”kusho u-Acting Assistant Attorney General uDavid P. Burns woMnyango wezoBulungiswa eCriminal Division. "BoeingAbasebenzi bakhethe indlela yenzuzo kunokungathembeki ngokufihla imininingwane ephathekayo evela ku-FAA mayelana nokusebenza kwendiza yayo eyi-737 Max nokwenza imizamo yokufihla inkohliso yabo. Lesi sinqumo senza iBoeing iziphendulele ngokungaziphathi kahle kwabasebenzi bayo, ibhekane nomthelela wezezimali kumakhasimende endiza yezindiza yakwaBoeing, futhi ngethemba lokuthi izonikeza ngandlela thize isinxephezelo emindenini nakulabo abazuzile izingozi. ”    

"Izitatimende ezidukisayo, amaqiniso angaphelele, nokushiwoyo okwaziswa abasebenzi beBoeing ku-FAA kuvimbe amandla kahulumeni okuqinisekisa ukuphepha komphakathi ondizayo," kusho uMmeli wase-US u-Erin Nealy Cox weSifunda esiseNyakatho neTexas. "Leli cala lithumela umyalezo ocacile: UMnyango wezoBulungiswa uzokwenza ukuthi abakhiqizi abanjengoBoeing baphendule ngokukhwabanisa abalawuli - ikakhulukazi ezimbonini lapho izibalo ziphakeme kangaka." 

"Isivumelwano sanamuhla sokumangalelwa senza ukuthi uBoeing kanye nabasebenzi bakhe baphendule ngokungagunci kwabo ne-FAA maqondana ne-MCAS," kusho uSpecial Agent ophethe u-Emmerson Buie Jr. we-FBI's Chicago Field Office. “Izinhlawulo ezinkulu kanye nesinxephezelo uBoeing azokukhokha, kukhombisa imiphumela yokwehluleka ukuphumela obala ngokuphelele kubalawuli bakahulumeni. Umphakathi kufanele uqiniseke ukuthi abalawuli bakahulumeni benza umsebenzi wabo ngempumelelo, futhi labo abalawulayo bakhuluma iqiniso futhi basobala. ”

"Siyaqhubeka nokukhala kanye nemindeni, abantu esibathandayo kanye nabangane babantu abangu-346 abashona kuLion Air Flight 610 kanye nase-Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. Isivumelwano sokuhlehliswa kwezinqumo esifinyelelwe namuhla neThe Boeing Company siwumphumela we-Office of Inspector General's sisebenza ngokuzinikela nabalingani bethu bezomthetho nabashushisi, ”kusho uSpecial Agent in Charge u-Andrea M. Kropf, uMnyango Wezokuthutha Ihhovisi lika-Inspector General (DOT-OIG) esifundeni saseMidwestern. "Lesi sivumelwano sokushushisa esinqunyelwe umlando sizohlala sikhumbuza ngokuphelele ukubaluleka kokuphepha embonini yezindiza yezentengiselwano, nokuthi ubuqotho kanye nokwenza izinto obala kungenzeka kunganikelwa ngokusebenza kahle noma ngenzuzo."

Njengoba uBoeing avuma emibhalweni yasenkantolo, iBoeing — ngokusebenzisa ezimbili zayo ezingama-737 MAX Flight Technical Pilots —yakhohlisa i-FAA AEG mayelana nengxenye ebalulekile yezindiza ebizwa ngeManeuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) ethinte uhlelo lokulawula izindiza iBoeing 737 MAX. Ngenxa yokukhohliswa kwabo, idokhumende eliyisihluthulelo elishicilelwe yi-FAA AEG lalintula imininingwane nge-MCAS, kanti futhi, amabhukwana ezindiza kanye nezinto zokuqeqesha abashayeli bezindiza ezise-US zazingenalo ulwazi nge-MCAS.

IBoeing yaqala ukuthuthukisa nokumaketha i-737 MAX ngoJuni 2011 noma cishe ngawo. Ngaphambi kokuthi noma iyiphi inkampani yezindiza yase-US isebenzise i-737 MAX entsha, imithethonqubo yase-US ibifuna i-FAA ukuthi ihlole iphinde ivume indiza ukuthi isetshenziselwe ukuhweba.

Ngokuhlobene nale nqubo, i-FAA AEG ngokuyinhloko ibinomthwalo wokunquma izinga eliphansi lokuqeqeshwa kwezindiza elidingekayo ukuze umshayeli wendiza andize i-737 MAX yenkampani yezindiza ezinze e-US, ngokuya ngohlobo nobukhulu bomehluko phakathi kwe-737 MAX ne- inguqulo yangaphambilini yendiza kaBoeing 737, i-737 Next Generation (NG). Ekuphetheni kwalokhu kuhlola, i-FAA AEG ishicilele i-737 MAX Flight Standardization Board Report (FSB Report), ebinemininingwane efanele mayelana nezingxenye ezithile zezindiza nezinhlelo iBoeing eyayidingeka ukuthi izifake emibhalweni yezindiza kanye nasezintweni zokuqeqesha abashayeli bezindiza kuwo wonke ama-US izindiza ezisuselwa ezindlini. Umbiko we-737 MAX FSB ubuye waqukethe nokuzimisela kokuqeqeshwa kokwehluka kwe-FAA AEG. Ngemuva kokushicilelwa kwe-737 MAX FSB Report, amakhasimende ezindiza zakwaBoeing avunyelwa ukundiza i-737 MAX.

Ngaphakathi kweBoeing, i-737 MAX Flight technical Team (eyakhiwe ngama-737 MAX Flight technical Pilots) ibinomthwalo omkhulu wokukhomba nokunikeza i-FAA AEG yonke imininingwane ebifanele i-FAA AEG mayelana nokushicilelwa kwe-FAA AEG kwe-737 MAX FSB Bika. Ngoba izilawuli zezindiza zazibalulekile ezindizeni zesimanje ezindizayo zokuhweba, umehluko phakathi kokulawulwa kwezindiza kwe-737 NG ne-737 MAX kwakubaluleke kakhulu kwi-FAA AEG ngenhloso yokukhishwa kwayo kwe-737 MAX FSB Report kanye nokuzimisela kokuqeqeshwa kokwehluka kwe-FAA AEG .

NgoNovemba nangoNovemba 2016, amaBoing's 737 MAX Flight technical Pilot amabili, okwakungu-737 MAX Chief technical Pilot ngaleso sikhathi futhi omunye owayezoba yi-737 MAX Chief technical Pilot, athola imininingwane ngoshintsho olubalulekile kwi-MCAS. Esikhundleni sokwabelana ngolwazi ngalolu shintsho ne-FAA AEG, iBoeing, ngokusebenzisa lawa ma-737 MAX Flight technical Pilots amabili, yalufihla lolu lwazi futhi yakhohlisa i-FAA AEG nge-MCAS. Ngenxa yalobu buqili, i-FAA AEG isuse yonke imininingwane nge-MCAS enguqulweni yokugcina ye-737 MAX FSB Report eyashicilelwa ngoJulayi 2017. Ngokulandelayo, amabhukwana ezindiza kanye nezinto zokuqeqesha abashayeli bezindiza ezizinze e-US zazingenayo imininingwane nge-MCAS, nabashayeli bezindiza abahamba ngezindiza ama-737 MAX wamakhasimende endiza yezindiza yakwaBoeing awanikwanga imininingwane nge-MCAS kumanyuwali abo nezinto zokuqeqesha. 

Ngo-Okthoba 29, 2018, iLion Air Flight 610, iBoeing 737 MAX, yaphahlazeka ngemuva nje kokungena eLwandle iJava ngase-Indonesia. Bonke abagibeli abangu-189 kanye nabasebenzi ababegibele bashona. Ngemuva kokuphahlazeka kweLion Air, i-FAA AEG ithole ukuthi i-MCAS isebenze ngesikhathi sendiza futhi kungenzeka ukuthi ibambe iqhaza kule ngozi. I-FAA AEG iphinde yafunda okokuqala ngoshintsho lwe-MCAS, kufaka phakathi imininingwane nge-MCAS uBoeing ayifihla kwi-FAA AEG. Khonamanjalo, ngenkathi kuqhubeka uphenyo ngengozi yeLion Air, abashayeli ababili abangama-737 MAX Flight technical Pilots baqhubeka nokudukisa abanye — kufaka phakathi eBoeing naseFAA — ngolwazi lwabo lwangaphambili ngoshintsho oluya kwi-MCAS.

NgoMashi 10, 2019, iTopian Airlines Flight 302, iBoeing 737 MAX, yaphahlazeka ngemuva nje kokusuka ngase-Ejere, e-Ethiopia. Bonke abagibeli abangu-157 nabasebenzi abebesemkhunjini bashonile. Ngemuva kwengozi ye-Ethiopian Airlines, i-FAA AEG ithole ukuthi i-MCAS isebenze ngesikhathi sendiza futhi kungenzeka ukuthi ibambe iqhaza kule ngozi. NgoMashi 13, 2019, i-737 MAX yasungulwa ngokusemthethweni e-US, yamisa unomphela ezinye izindiza zale ndiza nganoma iyiphi indiza yase-US.

Njengengxenye ye-DPA, uBoeing uvumile, phakathi kokunye, ukuqhubeka nokusebenzisana neSigaba Sokukhwabanisa kunoma yiluphi uphenyo nokushushiswa okuqhubekayo noma okuzayo. Njengengxenye yokubambisana kwayo, iBoeing iyadingeka ukuthi ibike noma yibuphi ubufakazi noma izinsolo zokwephula imithetho yokukhwabanisa yase-US eyenziwe ngabasebenzi baka-Boeing noma abenzeli kunoma iyiphi i-ejensi kahulumeni wasekhaya noma wangaphandle (kufaka phakathi i-FAA), umlawuli, noma yimaphi amakhasimende ezindiza zeBoeing. Ngaphezu kwalokho, iBoeing ivumile ukuqinisa uhlelo lwayo lokuthobela imithetho kanye nezidingo zokubika ezinhlelweni zokulandela umthetho, ezidinga ukuthi iBoeing ihlangane neSigaba Sokukhwabanisa okungenani njalo ngekota futhi ithumele imibiko yaminyaka yonke esigabeni Sokukhwabanisa maqondana nesimo semizamo yayo yokulungisa, imiphumela lokuhlolwa kohlelo lwayo lokuthobela, kanye neziphakamiso zalo zokuqinisekisa ukuthi uhlelo lwayo lokuthobela lwakhiwe ngokufanele, lwasetshenziswa futhi lwasetshenziswa ukuze lusebenze ngempumelelo ekunqandeni nasekutholakaleni ukwephulwa kwemithetho yokukhwabanisa yase-US maqondana nokusebenzisana nanoma iyiphi i-ejensi kahulumeni wasekhaya noma wangaphandle (kufaka phakathi i-FAA), umlawuli, noma amanye amakhasimende ayo endiza.

Umnyango ufinyelele kulesi sinqumo neBoeing ngokususelwa ezicini eziningi, kufaka phakathi uhlobo nobucayi besenzo secala; Ukwehluleka kukaBoeing ngesikhathi esifanele nangokuzithandela ukudalula isenzo secala emnyangweni; nomlando wangaphambilini weBoeing, kufaka phakathi isivumelwano sokuxazululwa komphakathi se-FAA sango-2015 esihlobene nezokuphepha nezindaba ezisezingeni eziphathelene neyunithi yebhizinisi leBoeing's Commercial Airplanes (BCA) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ngenkathi ukubambisana kukaBoeing ekugcineni kufaka phakathi ngokuzithandela nangokusebenza ngokukhomba esigabeni Sokukhwabanisa okungaba yimibhalo ebalulekile kanye nofakazi beBoing, nokuhlela ngokuzithandela ubufakazi obunamandla bokuthi iBoeing ibophezelekile ukukhiqiza, ukubambisana okunjalo, kwabambezeleka futhi kwaqala ngemuva kwezinyanga eziyisithupha zokuqala yophenyo lweSigaba Sokukhwabanisa, okuyisikhathi lapho impendulo kaBoeing yaphazamisa uphenyo lweSigaba Sokukhwabanisa.

Umnyango ubuye wacabanga ukuthi iBoeing yazibandakanya nezinyathelo zokulungisa ngemuva kokwenza icala, okubandakanya: (i) ukudala ikomidi elihlala njalo lezokuphepha emkhathini leBhodi Labaqondisi elizobheka izinqubomgomo nezinqubo ezilawula ezokuphepha kanye nokusebenzisana kwalo ne-FAA nezinye izinhlaka zikahulumeni kanye abalawuli; (ii) ukudala inhlangano yezokuphepha yomkhiqizo nezinsizakalo ukuqinisa nokwenza imisebenzi emaphakathi ephathelene nezokuphepha eyayitholakala phambilini kweBoeing; (iii) ukuhlela kabusha umsebenzi wobunjiniyela weBoeing ukuze bonke onjiniyela beBoeing, kanye neThimba Lezindiza LaseBoeing, babike ngonjiniyela omkhulu weBoeing kunamayunithi ebhizinisi; kanye (iv) nokwenza izinguquko ezakhiweni zethimba leBoeing's Flight technical Team ukwandisa ukwenganyelwa, ukusebenza kahle, kanye nokusebenza ngobungcweti kweBoeing's Flight technical Pilots, kufaka phakathi ukuhambisa iBoeing's Flight technical Team ngaphansi kwesambulela senhlangano esifanayo neBoeing's Flight Test Team, nokwamukela izinqubomgomo nezinqubo ezintsha nokwenza ukuqeqeshwa ukucacisa okulindelwe nezidingo ezilawula ukuxhumana phakathi kweBoeing's Flight technical Pilots kanye neziphathimandla ezilawulayo, kufaka phakathi ikakhulukazi i-FAA AEG. IBoeing iphinde yenza ushintsho olukhulu ebuholini bayo obuphezulu selokhu kwenzeke leli cala.

Umnyango ekugcineni wanquma ukuthi umqaphi ozimele wokuthobela imithetho wayengadingekile ngokusekelwe kulezi zinto ezilandelayo, phakathi kokunye: (i) ukungaziphathi kahle kwakugcwele kuyo yonke inhlangano, futhi kwakungathathwa isibalo esikhulu sabasebenzi, noma kwenziwe lula ngabaphathi abaphezulu; (ii) yize ababili kumaBoeing's 737 MAX Flight technical Pilots akhohlise i-FAA AEG mayelana ne-MCAS ngendlela yezitatimende ezilahlekisayo, amaqiniso ayingxenye, nokushiywa, abanye eBoeing baveze ububanzi bokusebenza be-MCAS kubasebenzi abahlukene be-FAA ababenomthwalo wokunquma ukuthi ngabe Ama-737 MAX ahlangabezane namazinga wokuphakama komoya waseMelika; (iii) isimo sokulungiswa kokulungiswa kweBoeing ohlelweni lwayo lokuthobela kanye nasekulawuleni kwangaphakathi; kanye (iv) nesivumelwano sikaBoeing sokwenza ngcono izidingo zokubikwa kohlelo lokuhambisana, njengoba kuchaziwe ngenhla.

Amahhovisi enkambu eChicago eFBI kanye neDOT-OIG aphenye leli cala, ngosizo lwamanye amahhovisi ezinkundla zeFBI nawakwaDOT-OIG.

Abameli beTrial uCory E. Jacobs noScott Armstrong kanye noMsizi Oyinhloko uMichael T. O'Neill weSigaba Sokukhwabanisa noMsizi Wommeli waseMelika uChad E. Meacham weSifunda SaseNyakatho saseTexas bashushisa leli cala.