The aircraft, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, built in October 2018 and delivered in November 2018, had flown for just 1 330 hours done over 382 flights.
According to preliminary report of the National Transportation Safety Board, striking similarities were noted with the previous Java crash: display of erroneous speed and altitude indications. The Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, MCAS, designed to warn against stalling, blamed for both crashes.
Boeing 737 MAX : Review of certification methods
According to a survey published on March 17, 2019 by The Seattle Times, the manufacturer’s certification procedures are not in compliance with the standards. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), has delegated to Boeing the responsibility to certify the compliance of its products on its own.
On March 19, 2019, the United States Transportation Department launched an audit into the certification process which is monitored by the American Congress and the FBI, both of which mandated to probe into this certification process.
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Legal procedures against Boeing
The families of the victims of both crashes have lodged lawsuits in the US courts for manslaughter against American carrier and the FAA but the amounts of damages claimed has not been disclosed.
Boeing is being sued for having:
- neglected training of pilots and failed to report to them important specific information regarding the anti-stalling software MCAS,
- sold a plane while being aware that the safety device was not in good working order,
- advanced their financial interests over those of passengers and crews,
- expedited the process of design, manufacture and certification of the incriminated aircraft.
FAA is accused, on its part, of failure to:
- verify or approve the design and functioning of the MCAS system,
- carry out in-depth examination of the MCAS during conformity procedure that precedes certification of Boeing 737-8 MAX,
- conduct an investigation after the first crash, that of flight Lion Air..