The fear of flying (aviophobia) is one of the most common phobias among Americans. However, the general consensus is that air travel is one of the safest modes of transportation, with relatively few plane crashes—that is, until now.
There has been a massive spike in reported airline safety incidents and plane accidents. Manufacturing giant Boeing, in particular, has come under fire due to a slew of incidents that have put plane passengers in danger.
We take a deep dive into airline safety as the industry lurches toward a crisis point, exploring some of the alarming events, manufacturing flaws, and high-profile blunders in recent months and throughout the years.
Common Causes of Plane Accidents
The fears associated with flying make sense. Even a minor issue can be catastrophic when it occurs 30,000 feet in the air, and there have been plenty of issues recently.
According to the National Safety Council, 1,220 aviation accidents in 2021 resulted in 373 deaths and many more injuries. The numbers rose to 1,277 accidents and 358 fatalities in 2022. While commercial flights generally have a safe record, many incidents resulting in serious outcomes occur on private jets and small crafts operated by less experienced pilots.
These numbers only include civilian aircraft registered in the U.S. That consists of all private, public, and commercial flights, but not military planes or those registered outside the United States.
Some of the most common causes of aviation accidents include:
- Design flaws: Badly designed aircraft elements can lead to practical problems.
- Manufacturing defects: Production issues often include improper construction or assembly.
- Testing and quality control: A lack of proper testing means that dangerous defects are not identified before the delivery of a new craft.
- Maintenance issues: Thorough maintenance is essential to prevent problems arising through regular use.
- Human error: Some accidents occur due to pilot errors, airport staff oversights, controller miscommunications, and other types of human error.
- Natural conditions: Collisions with birds and poor weather can present dangers to planes, especially smaller aircraft.
Aviation Accidents Involving Equipment Issues
Many of the controversies revolve around the Boeing 737 Max. But there have been plenty of accidents involving a variety of aircraft. The following are just some of the most serious incidents involving manufacturing errors or problems with the planes themselves.
Alaska Airlines Flight 1282: Mid-flight Door Blowout – January 2024
While there have been plenty of other issues, an incident in January 2024 started a series of alarming air travel accidents. It occurred on an Alaska Airlines flight from Oregon to California. A door plug popped out in mid-air just a few minutes into the flight.
The plug is a panel that fills a door-shaped opening on the side of the plane where manufacturers can install an optional emergency door.
The oxygen masks were deployed on the Boeing 737 Max 9 plane, and several objects were sucked out of the opening. Fortunately, no one was seated directly next to the hole, and everyone remained safely on the craft. Experts say the result could have been much worse.
The plane was only two months old at the time of the accident. FAA bosses grounded all Boeing 737 Max 9s for inspection, and further instances of loose hardware were discovered on other crafts. A new inspection procedure was established.
Lion Air Flight JT 610: Ocean Crash – October 2018
A Lion Air flight took off from Jakarta and headed for an Indonesian island. But it was only in the air for 13 minutes before a catastrophic failure sent it crashing into the ocean. There were 189 people onboard the Being 737 Max 8 plane at the time, and everyone died in the crash.
An investigation revealed that a sensor glitch had forced the plane’s Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) to tilt the craft into a downward trajectory. The crew could not carry out the complex override sequence in time.
The crash, which was the deadliest involving a 737 since the line’s inception in 1967, forced Boeing to revamp its emergency procedures.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302: 157 People Killed in Crash – March 2019
Hot on the heels of the Lion Air crash was another devastating accident involving a Boeing 737 Max 8. The Ethiopian Airlines flight took off from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, embarking on a journey to Kenya. But the plane was only in the air for six minutes before disaster struck.
The Ethiopian Airlines flight had 157 people on board, and everyone perished in the crash. The FAA quickly grounded all 737 Max 8 aircraft following two tragic accidents in a matter of months.
Investigators concluded that faulty flight control systems had forced the plane into a dive. They found that the crew had attempted to override the system but were unsuccessful. Boeing admitted that an MCAS software error caused the crash and fixed the system.
Following the catastrophic Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, Boeing avoided criminal prosecution by agreeing to a $2.5 billion settlement. This was broken down into a $500 million fund to compensate victims, a fine of more than $240 million for deceiving regulators, and nearly $1.8 billion to airlines to compensate them for lengthy groundings.
However, in 2024 it was determined that Boeing had violated the terms of the settlement. That means that the company was once again vulnerable to criminal charges.
Some media outlets reported that U.S. prosecutors recommended criminal charges in the case. However, the Justice Department weighed its options carefully and deemed any further prosecution risky.
The Latest: In July 2024, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge of “conspiracy to defraud the United States, specifically, the lawful function of the Federal Aviation Administration Aircraft Evaluation Group.”
By pleading guilty, Boeing avoided a new trial. As part of the deal, the company paid an extra $243.6 million fine—doubling its original fine for deceiving regulators. It is also required to invest $455 million over the next three years in its safety and compliance systems.
Boeing 787 Dreamliners: Bolt Defect Discovery – December 2023
A routine inspection of a new Boeing 787 Max Dreamliner jet uncovered a missing nut and a separate loose bolt on the craft’s vertical stabilization rudder system. The issue was found in two separate newly delivered planes.
While the issue was quickly fixed, Boeing alerted every airline with a 737 Max plane to inspect the 1.7 million crafts in circulation. The FAA considers the rudder bolts critical safety components and requires double inspection before a plane is signed off.
Planes were grounded until inspectors could check the issue.
United Airlines Flight 59: Toilet Overflow – April 2024
A United Airlines flight traveling from Frankfurt, Germany, to San Francisco had to turn back after a severe toilet malfunction caused the craft’s restrooms to overflow into the cabin.
The Boeing 777 jet was about one hour into its journey when it became clear that the issue was too severe to continue on a long-distance flight. The plane completed a U-turn and returned to Frankfurt, where passengers received hotel accommodation and flights for the following day.
A spokesman confirmed the incident was caused by “a maintenance issue with one of the aircraft’s lavatories.”
This is far from the only mid-air sewage incident in recent times. In early 2024, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner suffered an issue that knocked nine bathrooms out of commission.
Air Senegal Flight 301: Failed Takeoff – May 2024
A flight from Senegal to Mali never got off the ground, with the plane skidding off the runway and catching fire. Ten people were injured, including the pilot.
The early-hours flight, run by Transair, had 85 people onboard for the journey. But the plane rumbled off the runway during an attempted takeoff from Dakar Blaise Diagne Airport. Video shows flames erupting from the craft as it came to a halt, forcing passengers to scramble to safety. Some people climbed out onto the plane’s wings.
The plane involved in the accident was a Boeing 737. The cause of the accident is not yet known, but an investigation is ongoing.
FedEx Plane: Lost Landing Gear – May 2024
A FedEx cargo plane was forced into a dramatic crash landing after its front landing gear failed. Usually, wheels fold out of the plane to allow a smooth landing on the runway. But in this case, the front wheels would not deploy.
The Boeing 767 aircraft was flying from Paris to Turkey. With no front landing gear, it had no choice but to ease into a crash landing. Terrifying footage shows the nose of the plane scraping against the runway, sending sparks flying, as the craft skids to a halt.
As it came to rest at an angle on its nose, first responders doused the plane to prevent a fire. An investigation into the mechanical failure has been launched.
Corendon Airlines: Plane Tire Burst During Landing – May 2024
A large passenger plane narrowly avoided disaster during an ill-fated landing when its front tire burst as it impacted with the tarmac.
The Boeing 737-800 plane, operated by Corendon Airlines, flew from Germany to Gazipasa Airport in Turkey. One of its tires burst during the landing, but the pilot was able to complete the landing safely.
The incident damaged the plane’s front gear, but the runway was not damaged. It was back in use that same day. The flight had 184 passengers and six crew members onboard, and everyone was evacuated safely once the plane was secured.
In a separate incident in March 2024, a wheel fell off a United Airlines flight taking off from San Francisco International Airport. The wheel became detached from the plane’s landing gear while it was in mid-air, dropping into the parking lot and crushing a car.
Fortunately, no injuries resulted from the falling debris, and the plane landed safely at LAX with only one wheel missing.
United Airlines Flight 166: Emergency Landing in Japan – May 2024
A Boeing 737 plane operated by United Airlines took off from Japan’s Fukuoka Airport, flying to Guam with 50 passengers onboard. However, due to safety concerns, the aircraft was only in the air for a few minutes before returning to its point of origin.
The pilots on the plane declared a state of emergency when they discovered that one of the craft’s wing flaps was malfunctioning. They quickly turned the plane around and received clearance for an emergency landing at Fukuoka Airport.
Investigations into the plane malfunction are ongoing. This latest incident was the fourth mishap involving Boeing planes in just a few days.
Delta Airlines Flight 604: Plane Fire – May 2024
A fire broke out in the cockpit of a plane after it landed in Seattle, forcing passengers to rush to the exits.
The blaze started on the outer nose of the Airbus A321 craft moments after it had landed at Seattle-Tacoma Airport from Cancun. All 189 passengers were still onboard at the time.
The crew deployed the emergency slides, and the passengers were told via the intercom to drop their belongings and exit the plane immediately.
Footage shows flames flaring from the underside of the plane as smoke starts to billow. The airline confirmed that the fire started when an electrical cord that was plugged into the outside of the aircraft to provide power while it was stationary shorted out. Everyone escaped the jet unharmed, despite some jostling to get to the exits.
Delta Airlines: Maintenance Accident – August 2024
A Boeing 757 in the Delta fleet was undergoing routine maintenance on the ground when a tire exploded, killing two people and injuring a third.
The incident occurred at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where Delta TechOps carries out most maintenance.
TechOps workers were changing the plane tire when it ruptured and blew out. The force of the explosion killed two people. A third worker suffered serious injuries. Technical investigators are looking into the accident.
This is just a small selection of plane crashes and other incidents that have occurred due to aircraft defects in recent months. While most did not carry deadly consequences, it is concerning to see so many issues popping up in quick succession.
Accidents Involving Human Errors
Not all plane accidents involve technical problems with the aircraft. Plenty of accidents have occurred due to mistakes on the part of the pilots, crew, air traffic controllers, and even passengers.
The following are just some examples of human errors causing aviation accidents in recent years.
Yeti Airlines Flight 691: Catastrophic Stall – January 2023
A Yeti Airlines flight took off from Nepal with 72 people aboard. The airline was using a 15-year-old ATR 72-500 plane. When it crashed, everyone onboard was killed.
The crash occurred while the plane was trying to land at Pokhara International Airport. Radar tracking showed that the aircraft was transmitting inaccurate speed and altitude data. Video footage showed it banking sharply to the left during its approach before the crash landing.
An investigation showed that the plane stalled ahead of the crash, losing thrust completely. However, it concluded that pilot error—an accidental change of control levers—started a chain reaction that caused the stall.
Investigators said errors were made more likely by a high workload, lack of training, poor resource management, and a failure to comply with standard operating procedures.
Japan Airlines Flight 515: The Haneda Airport Runway Collision – January 2024
A runway crash occurred at an airport in Tokyo when an incoming domestic passenger flight landed and collided with a Coast Guard plane that was already on the runway. The collision left both aircraft on fire.
The passenger craft – a two-year-old Airbus A350-941 – had 367 passengers and 12 crew members onboard. Despite the crash, it completed its landing and then deployed the evacuation slides to get everyone to safety.
Though some people suffered injuries, everyone survived. However, the Coast Guard aircraft was not so lucky.
The Coast Guard craft had been deployed to transport emergency supplies following an earthquake the previous day. It had six crew members on board, but the captain was the only one to survive the impact. Both planes were unsalvageable after the incident.
An investigation concluded that the Japan Airlines flight had proper clearance to land, but the Coast Guard craft should not have been on the runway, causing the collision.
LATAM Airlines Flight 800: Sudden Drop – March 2024
An aircraft traveling from Australia to Chile suffered a sudden mid-air drop, causing serious injuries to several passengers.
The Boeing 787-9 plane had 272 people during the flight. It was two hours into its journey at a cruising level of 41,000 ft when it suddenly dropped about 300 ft.
Dozens of passengers without seatbelts on hit the roof of the cabin, and about 50 suffered injuries including cuts and bruises, broken bones, and head and neck damage.
With about an hour of flight time left, the plane continued to its destination in Auckland, where injured passengers were transported to hospital.
An investigation revealed that the cover on a switch controlling the position of the pilot’s seat was loose, allowing the switch to be inadvertently pressed. Investigators believe the switch was hit accidentally, moving the seat forward and impacting the controls, causing the sudden loss of altitude.
United Airlines Flight 2181: Taxi Crash – April 2024
A United Airlines plane had landed in San Francisco and was taxiing to its destination gate when it clipped the wing of another craft as it went past.
UA 2181 was moving through San Francisco International Airport when it crashed into another United Airlines plane already parked at a nearby gate. There were 105 passengers onboard, but the crash was not serious, and there were no injuries.
However, passengers did report being “thrown around” inside the cabin, and the planes were entangled and unable to move due to the force of the collision.
Emergency services were required at the scene to safely separate the two planes before passengers could disembark as normal.
Delta Airlines Flight 194: The Diarrhea Plane Incident – September 2023
A passenger on a Delta flight from Atlanta to Barcelona suffered an extreme bout of diarrhea during the journey, with the mess running through the cabin.
Flight attendants tried to create makeshift hazmat suits from aprons to clean up the mess, but the spill was too extreme. Only two hours into the trip at the time, the plane was forced to return to Atlanta for the safety of the 336 passengers onboard.
The Worst Near-Miss in Air Travel History
One of the worst near misses in commercial aircraft history occurred in July 2017. An Air Canada flight came in for landing at a taxiway at San Francisco International Airport, where three large passenger jets were on the ground waiting to take off in the path of the landing jet.
The pilot, who had been awake for 19+ hours, became aware of the danger just in time and pulled away from the ground. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the plane came within 100 feet of the ground before lifting off again.
Over 1,000 people were on the four planes, including the Air Canada flight and the three crafts waiting on the taxiway. If the Air Canada plane had landed, safety regulators fear it may have resulted in the worst aviation disaster of all time.
This is far from the only near miss, showing the potentially deadly consequences of human error.
Plane Crashes Caused by Unpredictable Circumstances
Some accidents have nothing to do with equipment defects or human actions. Sometimes, an incident might result from unpredictable weather conditions or an unpreventable collision with birds.
Poor weather can disrupt any flight, but it is most dangerous to smaller planes, which are less stable and may carry less sophisticated technology.
US Airways Flight 1549: Sully Sullenberger Landing on the Hudson
One of the most famous aviation accidents involved a passenger plane with more than 150 people onboard being incapacitated by a bird strike. A flock of Canada geese flew through the engines of an Airbus A320 over New York, leaving it without any engine power.
Captain Sullenberger performed an emergency landing, bringing the plane down safely onto the Hudson River with zero casualties. He was hailed a hero for his quick thinking. The accident and the events surrounding it were portrayed in the movie Sully, starring Tom Hanks.
Other Bird Strikes
Collisions with birds represent a significant and frequent danger to planes. One United Airlines flight in March 2024 had to return to Denver after just 25 minutes in the air after a bird strike damaged the pilot’s side window at about 5,000 ft during ascension.
In another incident, an Alaska Airlines flight in May 2024 suffered a significant dent to its engine turbine casing after a mid-air collision. The aircraft was removed from circulation for inspection after the flight.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), more than 225,000 wildlife strikes involving civil aircraft were recorded between 1990 and 2019.
PT-SOG Plane Crash Caused by Poor Weather – September 2023
A small craft crashed over Brazil in 2023. The accident was attributed to severe weather conditions, including heavy rain and low visibility.
Fourteen people died in the accident, including 12 passengers and two crew members. Reports indicate that the plane ran out of landing strip space and crashed onto a dirt track.
Singapore Airlines Flight 321: Air Pocket Panic – May 2024
A flight traveling from London to Singapore encountered near-catastrophic turbulence that resulted in a sudden altitude drop, causing one death and several injuries.
Singapore Airlines reported that its plane encountered severe turbulence after falling into an air pocket, where rapidly changing air pressure can disrupt a plane’s flight.
The craft – a Boeing 777-300ER with more than 200 passengers onboard – was thrown into a sudden drop, quickly plunging more than 6,000 feet from its 37,000 ft cruising altitude.
Oxygen masks were deployed, and anyone not wearing a seat belt hit the roof of the cabin as the plane dropped.
A 73-year-old British man died of a suspected heart attack during the incident, while at least 30 other passengers suffered injuries. The aircraft was diverted to an airport in Thailand for an emergency landing.
The World’s Most Turbulent Flying Routes
It is very rare for someone to die as a result of turbulence on an aircraft. Before the Singapore Airlines flight in 2024, the last instance was in 1997.
In that case, a passenger who was not wearing a seatbelt suffered a severe head injury when a United Airlines flight from Tokyo to Honolulu hit turbulence.
However, turbulence can be scary and make for an uncomfortable and traumatic flight, even for experienced travelers.
Extreme conditions can be hard to predict. However, the turbulence forecast website Turbli studied 150,000 flights taken in 2023 to determine the rockiest routes. Their top-10 were:
1: Santiago (SCL) to Santa Cruz (VVI)
2: Imaty (ALA) to Bishkek (FRU)
3: Lanzhou (LHW) to Chengdu (CTU)
4: Centrair (NGO) to Sendai (SDJ)
5: Milan (MXP) to Geneva (GVA)
6: Lanzhou (LHW) to Xianyang (XIY)
7: Osaka (KIX) to Sendai (SDJ)
8: Xianyang (XIY) to Chengdu (CTU)
9: Xianyang (XIY) Chongqing (CKG)
10: Milan (MXP) to Zurich (ZRH)
Six of the bumpiest average journeys featured routes around China and Japan, while European flights featuring Milan and Zurich featured prominently.
No U.S. flights cracked the top 10. The worst average for a U.S. flight came on the 441-mile trip between Nashville and Raleigh.
A Timeline of Boeing Issues
Boeing is a giant in the aircraft industry and has been designing, manufacturing, and selling many of the world’s top jets for more than 100 years.
However, controversy and poor quality control have plagued Boeing in recent years. Below is a brief timeline of the company’s history, including some key dates but focusing on its recent problems.
- The Boeing Company was started in 1916.
- 1929: The company acquired several other aircraft manufacturers as it carved out a significant market share.
- 1960: Boeing bought Vertol Aircraft Corporation – the top helicopter manufacturer of the time.
- 1997: A merger was completed with the massive aerospace corporation and defense contractor McDonnell Douglas.
- 2001: The company moved from Seattle to Chicago.
- 2016: The Boeing 737 Max twin-engine airliner was launched.
- 2018: Lion Air Flight 610 crashed. Less than five months later, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 did the same. The two tragedies combined for 346 fatalities.
- March 2019: All 737 Max jets are grounded over safety concerns.
- April 2019: Boeing acknowledged that an operating feature on the planes (MCAS) contributed to the fatal crashes.
- July 2019: Boeing reported record second-quarter losses of $3.7 billion.
- December 2019: CEO Dennis Muilenburg is fired and replaced by David Calhoun.
- January 2020: Boeing’s internal communications are released as part of a government probe into its ongoing issues. They reveal criticism from employees, doubts over the safety of the 737 Max, and ridicule of the regulatory certification process.
- January 2020: Production of 737 Max jets is halted as the company struggled to fix the issue.
- March 2020: COVID-19 causes the cancellation of most flights. Boeing lost billions of dollars due to the pandemic, cutting thousands of jobs.
- April 2020: Amid a series of manufacturing and production issues, inspections reveal gaps at the joints between the cabin and the tail cone in several planes. Production errors were also discovered in automatically fabricated shims. Several 787 Dreamliners are grounded.
- January 2021: Boeing suspended deliveries and started a massive audit of its planes and processes. It revealed further issues, including excessive gaps around cargo and passenger doors, faulty stringer plates beneath cockpits, defective rods and studs, and other structural problems.
- April 2022: Boeing delays its next-generation aircraft, the 777X.
- January 2024: The Alaska Airlines flight suffers the door plug blowout.
- February 2024: The National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation revealed that the plane was missing four key bolts when it left the Boeing factory, leading to the plug blowout.
- February 2024: The FAA issued a scathing analysis of Boeing’s state and gave the company 90 days to develop a plan to get back on track.
- March 2024: Boeing announced that CEO Dave Calhoun will leave his role at the end of 2024, while another member of senior management retired immediately.
- April 2024: The FAA started investigating a whistleblower complaint from within Boeing. Several whistleblowers stepped forward to offer critical testimony on the Boeing manufacturing processes and safety concerns.
- May 2024: Boeing has lost $28 billion from its market cap through its recent struggles.
- May 2024: The Daily Mail reported on the discovery of a significant flaw in Boeing 777 jets. It involves an electrical defect that could cause fuel tanks on the wings to catch fire and explode. It forced the FAA to create a new directive to address the flaw.
- May 2024: Following the 90-day ultimatum issued by the FAA, Boeing leadership met with watchdogs to discuss their improvement plan. It includes keeping assembly work in its proper chronological order, keeping closer tabs on third-party manufacturers, and creating more inspection checkpoints. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said Boeing had laid out a road map for improvements. The pressure is now on Boeing to execute its plan and prove that it can move forward.
- July 2024: Boeing struck a deal to buy Spirit AeroSystems, one of its key third-party component suppliers. The deal is worth about $4.7 billion. Both companies have struggled with quality control, and experts say the move may help in the long run.
- July 2024: Boeing pleaded guilty to fraud and agreed to an additional $243 million fine to avoid trial after violating its settlement agreement for two fatal crashes.
June 2024: Boeing In Space
Despite its recent issues, Boeing confirmed its plans to send a Boeing Starliner craft into space as part of its NASA contract, taking two astronauts to the International Space Station.
A first attempt in May 2024 was aborted due to a valve issue. A second attempt was aborted just four minutes before the Atlas V rocket was set to launch on June 1, caused by an automatic trigger linked to a faulty computer system.
Boeing and NASA finally completed the launch successfully on June 5, and the astronauts docked safely at the ISS despite enduring some craft thruster issues.
However, Boeing suffered further embarrassment when NASA did not deem the Starliner craft safe enough to bring the astronauts home. What was meant to be an eight-day mission will leave the astronauts stranded on the ISS for more than six months. They are due to be rescued by a SpaceX craft – Boeing’s chief space competitor – in early 2025.
What Went Wrong at Boeing?
Boeing has endured losses of nearly $30 billion due to a combination of pandemic misfortune and self-inflicted issues. But what started the avalanche of problems?
Some pundits trace the issues back to the 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas due to a lack of compatibility between the companies.
Critics suggest that the engineering experts at Boeing clashed with the fiscally focused McDonnell Douglas. The result was a company that focused more on the bottom line than engineering excellence, leading to standards slipping over time.
Others argue that many companies have shifted to a more business-centric approach that targets shareholder growth over time, and this may have happened regardless.
No matter the cause, it seems apparent that standards have slipped, and Boeing has a huge amount of work to do to salvage its once-excellent safety reputation.
Boeing Whistleblowers
The drama surrounding Boeing has only intensified after several whistleblowers spoke out about safety concerns, criticizing elements of the production process on Boeing planes.
To make matters worse, two Boeing whistleblowers died in early 2024, sending conspiracy theorists into overdrive.
John Barnett, Quality Control Engineer at Boeing (deceased)
John Barnett worked at Boeing as a quality control engineer for over 30 years. He retired in 2017 and then told the BBC and other news outlets that Boeing had cut corners in creating the 787 Dreamliner.
Barnett alleged that the company rushed production and passengers would be put at risk. The whistleblower said that he had raised issues and filed complaints with his bosses but was ignored and eventually retaliated against.
Mr. Barnett was involved in a government investigation. He provided first-hand accounts of his time working at Boeing, as well as information on the company’s safety practices, by giving recorded depositions.
On the third day of depositions, in March 2024, John Barnett failed to appear as scheduled. He was found dead in his car of a gunshot wound to the head that day.
The coroner ruled that the death was a likely suicide, and police found a note inside the car. However, his lawyers said he showed no indication of committing suicide and urged authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation.
Joshua Dean, Quality Auditor at Spirit AeroSystems (deceased)
Joshua Dean was a former quality auditor at Spirit AeroSystems, an offshoot of Boeing. The company is contracted to build several important components used in Boeing aircraft.
Mr. Dean raised concerns over improperly drilled holes in the fuselage of 737 Max jets. However, he died in May 2024 at the age of 45 due to a fast-moving MRSA bacterial infection.
Santiago Paredes, Quality Manager at Spirit AeroSystems
Santiago Paredes was the latest whistleblower to speak out in May 2024. Another former employee at Spirit AeroSystems and an Air Force veteran,
Mr. Paredes, was nicknamed ‘The Showstopper’ by his colleagues and bosses at Spirit because he frequently halted production to point out issues or defects. He told media outlets that his knowledge of the 737 Max’s production made him nervous to fly on one.
He is now working for a different Boeing supplier after spending 12 years at Spirit and is named as “Former Employee 1” in a shareholder lawsuit against Spirit.
Sam Salehpour, Quality Engineer at Boeing
Sam Salehpour, a quality engineer at Boeing, stepped forward as a whistleblower to provide testimony to a Senate committee in May 2024.
According to Mr. Salehpour, after raising concerns about the 787 Dreamliner’s construction, his bosses harassed him and excluded him from meetings and projects.
He alleged that the 787 fuselage was not properly connected because the company was rushing to fix production bottlenecks and that the issue could lead to premature plane failures.
Ed Pierson, Former Senior Manager at Boeing
Once a senior manager overseeing Boeing’s 737 Max program, Ed Pierson left the company in 2018. Now an executive director at the Foundation of Aviation Safety, Pierson warned his superiors about ongoing issues while he was at Boeing, before deciding to retire.
After witnessing accidents involving Boeing planes, Pierson spoke out and was called to testify before Congress.
Following the latest incidents involving Boeing aircraft, Ed Pierson has called for a criminal investigation. He said: “These airplanes are not safe. They are still not safe.”
It's Not Just Boeing...
Boeing and Airbus have monopolized the market and are now the only two manufacturers of large passenger aircraft. If you take a large flight, you will likely fly on a Boeing 7-series plane or an Airbus A-series craft.
In addition, several smaller companies manufacture smaller-scale jets that carry fewer passengers.
While Boeing has made all of the recent headlines, it should be acknowledged that Airbus has also had its fair share of issues and is not immune from technical malfunctions, as covered elsewhere in this article. Smaller manufacturers have also endured plane crashes and other incidents.
When it comes to air travel, the margin for error is extremely small. For example, the gaps found in some planes are minuscule by normal standards.
But when a vehicle has to stand up to the pressure of repeated trips at 30-40,000 ft, even the slightest variances and errors can make a plane structurally unsafe.
Watchdogs like the FAA have to hold these plane manufacturers to the strictest possible standards to avoid the issues we have seen from Boeing, Airbus, and other companies.
The Future of Plane Production
The first version of Boeing’s best-selling 737 planes has been around since the 1960s, while its most recent fleet addition was the 787, which made its first flight in 2009.
Now, experts say the company risks losing its dominant market position by delaying the development of a new plane.
In 2022, the company said its next installment was planned for the mid-2030s once technological advancements in fuel efficiency support the development.
But critics say the delay will provide short-term savings at the expense of Boeing’s long-term future. They believe it will put Boeing at a competitive disadvantage and cause it to lose ground to Airbus.
According to Forbes, the Airbus A320 range has already outsold Boeing’s 737 Max lineup by nearly 2 to 1.
Statistics show that the Airbus A321 and A321XLR have greater capabilities than their Boeing equivalents, able to carry more passengers and cover greater distances. Airbus is also looking to develop a larger version of its A220 line.
With Boeing’s management in the middle of a shakeup, the company’s plans for new developments and innovations may yet change. But the future of major aircraft manufacturing may be set for a transformation in the wake of recent industry turbulence.
Aviation Accident Lawsuits
With all of the recent issues, it is no surprise that airlines and manufacturers are facing a steady stream of lawsuits. Those listed below are just a tiny snapshot of the lawsuits filed over aviation accidents in recent years.
Three Passengers on Alaska Airlines 1282 filed a lawsuit after the door plug blew out on their flight. They filed the complaint in Oregon, suing Alaska Airlines and Boeing for $1 billion in compensatory and punitive damages.
Several passengers filed a separate class-action lawsuit over the same incident. The class-action claim was made against Boeing for emotional trauma but did not name Alaska Airlines as a defendant.
Following the fatal crash of Lion Air Flight JT 610, the families of 86 victims filed wrongful death lawsuits against Boeing. The courts eventually consolidated these claims.
Boeing settled most of the cases for millions of dollars. However, some families did not receive full compensation because the funds were misappropriated by the disgraced law firm Girardi & Keese.
It has been confirmed that dozens of passengers are speaking to attorneys and seeking representation after an incident on LATAM flight LA800.
Law firms are investigating the seat switch issue and believe there may be a case to seek damages for physical and psychological injuries.
A Different Kind of Lawsuit: Zunum vs. Boeing
Boeing is not just in legal trouble with passengers. In 2024, a federal court also ruled against Boeing for stealing technology from an electric aircraft startup company called Zunum.
Creators launched Zunum in 2017 with plans to build a hybrid-electric nine-seater plane capable of short flights. The company secured over $1.5 million in funding, and Boeing was one of its investors. But it never produced a working plane and went out of business in 2019.
However, Zunum alleged that Boeing had engaged in a targeted plan to access the startup’s proprietary information and steal its technology. Boeing was also accused of sabotaging Zunum’s attempts to attract further funding and driving it out of business.
The case was heard at a federal court in Seattle and the jury found in favor of Zunum. They decided that Boeing had misappropriated Zunum’s trade secrets and breached its contract with the company. Jurors also found that Boeing’s actions were willful and malicious.
Zunum was awarded $81 million in damages, and the judge has the option to increase that amount to $235 million.
Boeing to Appeal
For its part, Boeing released a statement saying that it disagreed with the verdict and will appeal, exhausting any challenges available.
Boeing’s court filing said: “An ambitious startup’s reach exceeded its grasp, and investors fled. What preliminarily looked like an interesting investment that promised a new hybrid electric or electric aircraft turned into a loss for Boeing.”
Boeing said it developed a conceptual mockup of the Zunum design and decided it would not be economically viable.
It could take years of appeals for the case to be resolved.
Contact a Lawyer to Protect Your Rights
Airlines have had to compensate passengers and their families millions of dollars. An accident does not have to result in fatalities for a lawsuit to be successful.
Following an aviation incident, an airline often makes a low compensatory offer to avoid later lawsuits. But our experts at Bisnar Chase always encourage victims to consult with a lawyer first.
Tell the airline that you must consider the offer before accepting or signing anything. Then, contact our attorneys immediately for a free consultation. By exploring your options, you have nothing to lose and potentially a lot to gain.
Aircraft Safety Rules and Laws
Below are some key rules, laws, and points of information relating to airliner safety. They cover the lawmakers, relevant testing, and life span of commercial aircraft.
How Long Can a Plane Stay in Circulation?
Modern aircraft are operable for an average of 30 years. Statistics show that a Boeing 747 typically stands up to about 35,000 pressurized flights and is in the region of 150,000 flying hours.
They have long life cycles because they are very expensive and need to earn back on their initial outlay.
There is no hard rule on a plane’s retirement. Crafts undergo strictly regulated maintenance checks at certain intervals, and these checks determine whether the craft will stay in circulation.
Which Governing Bodies are Responsible for Aircraft Safety?
Several authorities have a say in aviation safety, but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has the most responsibility for airline and manufacturer oversight.
The FAA falls under the U.S. Department of Transportation. It monitors nearly 300,000 aircraft and about 5,400 operators.
If there are any safety concerns, the FAA has enforcement powers allowing it to increase oversight, ground planes, take parts out of service, and issue penalties.
How are New Planes Tested Before Consumer Flights?
Once a plane is built, it has to undergo intensive testing before it is delivered to the operator. Tests are performed on the structure by measuring load limits.
All mechanical and dynamic components are also tested, as are electronic systems, including radars, navigation, sensors, and communication.
Manufacturers have long checklists that they must follow to the letter. Once all systems have been checked under controlled settings, test flights will be conducted before the plane is delivered.
Is Flying Safe in 2024 and Beyond?
We have highlighted some serious incidents, including what appears to be an increase in aviation accidents through the first quarter of 2024.
So, has the number of incidents been increasing, and is it still safe to fly?
Are Plane Accidents Increasing?
Plane crashes and aircraft accidents have been all over the news in 2024. Some media outlets report on new incidents every day, and this article highlights many of those accidents.
However, some experts have challenged whether the number of incidents is actually rising.
Veteran pilot and university lecturer Scott Miller told the New York Post that he did not believe the number of incidents had risen significantly. He indicated that there are safety-related aviation incidents every year. However, given the current climate and turmoil at Boeing, reporting an interest in those instances is at an all-time high.
Despite the recent events, he still considers many of those flights successful since everyone made it back to the ground without serious injuries.
Complacency Caused by Flight Safety Record
Other experts believe there is an air of complacency surrounding U.S. flights, due to their strong comparative safety record.
In 2009, a regional flight crashed in Buffalo, New York. The tragic accident killed 50 people in total: 49 people who were on the plane and one on the ground. Since that flight, there have only been five fatalities:
- 2013: Three passengers died on an Asiana Airlines plane that crashed near San Francisco.
- 2018: One passenger died on a Southwest flight when an engine cover broke and shattered a window next to their seat.
- 2019: One passenger was killed when their small plane skidded off a runway in Alaska.
While any deaths are tragic, this is a minuscule number considering the millions of miles flown every year from the United States.
Ed Pierson, director of the Foundation for Aviation Safety, said the entire system is creaking due to high demands and a lack of staff and that changes must be made to ensure safety in the future.
“There’s a sense of overconfidence,” he told CNN. “The gold standard is melting down because we continue to try to downplay everything and talk about how safe the system is. That’s not the right mindset. That’s the mindset that gets people killed.
“I think the system is under tremendous stress. There’s a shortage of staff in air traffic control, a shortage of pilots, of maintenance personnel, of manufacturing personnel.”
Is it Safe to Fly?
So, is it safe to fly? The statistics still say yes.
Even with the recent incidents accounted for, only a small percentage of flights involve safety-related incidents, and even fewer result in serious injuries and fatalities.
The often-repeated line is that you are more likely to crash while driving to the airport than you are on the flight, and that remains true.
According to the National Safety Council, the passenger death rates per 100 million passenger miles for 2022 had passenger vehicles like cars at 0.54 and scheduled airlines at 0.001.
The numbers show that planes are still statistically very safe. Compared to cars, the average number of plane accidents per miles traveled is barely visible on the graph. But accidents do happen, and the current focus on Boeing has highlighted those accidents.
Anthony Brickhouse, a crash investigator and aviation safety professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, believes planes are as safe as ever. He said that the Alaska Air door plug incident raised the alarm and caused overreactions to subsequent issues that posed little threat.
He told CNN: “We have safety events in aviation all the time. That is not an indictment on the aviation industry. But after Alaska Air, it became a snowballing event, and everyone became hypersensitive.”
Not everyone is as relaxed about the current state of air travel. But the bottom line is that when things go wrong in the air, the jeopardy is higher than ever due to the extreme speeds, altitudes, and pressures involved.
The hope is that the current spotlight will force manufacturers and airlines to improve their safety practices and keep air travel at the top of the safety charts.
An Aviation Accident Lawyer Can Help
Aviation accidents can result in severe injuries and fatalities. Their nature means that any accident is more likely to have serious results and is less controllable when things go wrong.
When the worst happens at 30,000 feet, an aviation accident lawyer can help you seek full compensation for your injuries. A personal injury attorney will fight for our rights and seek full damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and the impact of long-term injuries and lost quality of life.
Bisnar Chase is a top-rated injury law firm that offers a skilled and compassionate approach to providing the support you need after an accident. We also handle wrongful death cases, working with the families of victims who have lost their lives in tragic aviation accidents.
In wrongful death cases, we can seek compensation for the loss of love and consortium, funeral costs, loss of financial support, and much more.
Some aviation accidents might also result in punitive damages for the manufacturer or airline. When we file a lawsuit, it is not just to win money for our clients. It is to hold the responsible parties accountable for any negligence that has resulted in harm to others.
Holding manufacturers accountable is vital in improving future safety standards. Losing a significant sum of money in compensatory damages and punitive damages is one way of encouraging these companies to increase their standards in the future.
Why Choose Bisnar Chase?
Bisnar Chase has more than 46 years of experience providing superior representation in all kinds of personal injury cases, such as plane crashes and defective products. Our firm has a 99% success rate with more than $850 million won. Contact the firm for a free consultation.
