Boeing probe: US prosecutors subpoena records on 787 Dreamliner production, media reports

Whistle-blowers reportedly warn of tools and debris left inside jets and a culture of intimidation at Boeing’s non-union South Carolina plant

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An airport worker checks the engine of a Boeing 787. File photo: AFP

Published: 9:27am, 29 Jun 2019Updated: 10:44pm, 29 Jun 2019

The US government has subpoenaed records from a Boeing plant in South Carolina as well as employees who work there, signalling that its investigation of the US planemaker now extends beyond the 737 MAX, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The inquiry, which was first reported by The Seattle Times, has expanded to include a look into manufacturing of the 787 Dreamliner at a new Boeing plant in North Charleston, the person said.

An Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner at the International Paris Air Show in June. Photo: Reuters

Whistle-blowers cited in media reports have warned of tools and other debris left inside jets and a culture of intimidation at the non-union plant, the only commercial final assembly line outside Boeing’s Seattle industrial hub.

The widening investigation by federal prosecutors adds to the pressure on the manufacturer, which also faces civil and congressional inquiries into the design and certification of the 737 MAX, the company’s bestselling jet, and software linked to two fatal crashes since last October.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission also is investigating whether Boeing properly disclosed issues tied to the 737 MAX jetliners, which were grounded in March after the second crash.