Boeing CEO admits ‘our mistake’ after 737 Max door panel mishap

The CE of Boeing said the company would acknowledge “our mistake” after one of its 737 Max aircraft lost a section of its fuselage in flight last week, as a regulator said it would not rush to allow its grounded planes to fly again. Dave Calhoun was speaking at a company-wide safety meeting at Boeing’s factory in Renton, Washington, where it builds the 737 Max. The meeting was broadcast to employees worldwide but closed to the media.  “We’re going to approach this, No. 1, acknowledging our mistake,” Calhoun said, according to excerpts shared by the company. “We are going to work with the [National Transportation Safety Board] who is investigating the accident itself to find out what the cause is . . . I trust every step they take.” Boeing has been under intense pressure after a 737 Max 9 plane operated by Alaska Airlines lost a piece of its fuselage at an altitude of about 16,000 feet above Oregon last Friday. Footage shot by people on board showed a gaping hole next to a row of seats. While there were no serious injuries among the 171 passengers and six crew, Calhoun said that when he saw the images, all he could think about was “whoever was supposed to be in the seat next to that hole”. “I’ve got kids, I’ve got grandkids, and so do you,” he said. “This stuff matters. Every detail matters.” Boeing’s stock has fallen more than 9% since the incident. The US FAA grounded 171 Boeing 737 Max 9s on Saturday. Boeing issued instructions to airlines on how to inspect the door inserts on their other Max 9s, but on Tuesday the FAA said those technical instructions were only “the initial version” and were being revised “because of feedback”. “The safety of the flying public, not speed, will determine the timeline for returning the Boeing 737-9 Max to service,” the FAA said.<br/>