Boeing Engineers Who Warned About the 737 MAX Before Disaster
Boeing engineers raised repeated concerns about the 737 MAX MCAS system before two crashes killed 346 people. Internal communications revealed engineers described the aircraft as designed by clowns supervised by monkeys. The MCAS system relied on a single angle-of-attack sensor without redundancy. Whistleblowers described a corporate culture where schedule pressures overrode engineering safety judgments.
Engineering Warnings Ignored
Internal messages revealed engineers expressing serious concerns about MCAS during development. One engineer wrote he would not put his family on the aircraft. Engineers requested additional redundancy for the angle-of-attack sensor system, but requests were denied based on cost and timeline considerations. The single-sensor design meant a faulty reading could trigger uncommanded nose-down pitch commands with no backup.
FAA Delegation Failures
The FAA's Organization Designation Authorization allowed Boeing to designate its own employees to conduct safety certification. Whistleblowers described management pressuring designated employees to approve certifications on schedule. The FAA lacked sufficient staff to independently verify Boeing's safety analyses and was unaware of key MCAS design changes.
Ongoing Safety Concerns
Even after recertification, whistleblowers continue raising concerns about manufacturing quality. Reports of loose bolts, missing rivets, and door plug failures suggest systemic quality control issues. Boeing's 2024 door plug blowout on Alaska Airlines renewed scrutiny of manufacturing processes.
Key Findings
- Boeing engineers described the 737 MAX as designed by clowns supervised by monkeys in internal communications
- The MCAS system relied on a single angle-of-attack sensor without redundancy despite engineer requests for backup
- FAA delegated certification allowed Boeing to essentially self-certify the safety system that caused two fatal crashes
Timeline
Lion Air Flight 610 crashes killing 189 people
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashes killing 157 people
Internal Boeing communications released showing safety concerns
Alaska Airlines door plug blowout renews scrutiny