Boeing Whistleblower Alleges That 787 Planes Could Break Apart Mid-Air Due To Construction Flaws, Report Says

Boeing is finding itself in hot water (again) after an employee of more than 10 years accused the aerospace company of ‘improper manufacturing practices’ regarding their 787 Dreamliner – the most popular jetliner used by airlines today. Here’s what the whistleblower said and how Boeing is responding to the allegations. 

FAA Investigating Allegations By Boeing Employee

The allegations against Boeing were made by engineer Sam Salehpour, who has worked for the company for more than 10 years. He attempted to notify company officials and executives of his concerns, but they didn’t do anything about it. 

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the allegations, as it does with any issue regarding regulations and standards while manufacturing, operating, and maintaining aircraft. 

Sam Salehpour: Fuselage Is Put Together Improperly

One of Salehpour’s primary concerns is with the fuselage of Boeing’s 787 and 777 airplanes – which he believes is put together improperly and could fall apart mid-air after thousands of flights. Most Boeing 787s are good for around 44,000 flights each. 

The fuselage is one of the most important components of an aircraft – it’s essentially the ‘body’ of the plane. It not only provides the aircraft’s shape and aerodynamics, but it also serves as an assembly base and protects the internals of the aircraft. 

Fuselage Components Come From Different Manufacturers

As part of the allegations, Salehpour claimed that the components of the fuselage come from different manufacturers and aren’t all the same shape. It might take thousands of flights for something bad to happen, but he says it’ll happen eventually.

“The problems stemmed from changes in how the enormous sections were fitted and fastened together in the assembly line,” Salehpour explained – adding that the changes were utilized as a shortcut. 

Boeing Responds To Salehpour’s Statement

Boeing released a statement denouncing Salehpour’s concerns. While they confirmed that parts of the fuselage are manufactured by different companies, they assured the FAA that this doesn’t affect the planes’ durability. 

“Another benefit of the 787’s composite structure is the material does not fatigue or corrode like traditional metals, which reduces maintenance over many decades in service,” Boeing said – adding that a single plane could be in service for 40 to 50 years. 

Boeing Spokesperson Says Testing Is Underway

Paul Lewis, a spokesperson for Boeing, spoke to the New York Times about some of the testing that goes on behind closed doors. Currently, the company is undergoing complex tests to determine if there may be a long-term fatigue concern. 

Nonetheless, Lewis wants passengers to know that there is no immediate safety of flight issue. “Another benefit of the 787’s composite structure is the material does not fatigue or corrode like traditional metals, which reduces maintenance over many decades in service,” Boeing added. 

Salehpour Was Retaliated Against After Raising Concerns

Before bringing his concerns to the FAA, Salehpour attempted to raise awareness internally – and even reached out to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Unfortunately, he was ‘retaliated against’ for speaking out. 

Not only that, but Salehpour isn’t the first one to have these complaints. In fact, several other whistleblowers raised concerns in 2019, and they all complained that they were often pressured into rushing and working quickly – and their concerns were often ignored. 

FAA Encourages Whistleblowers To Speak Out

A spokesperson for the FAA came forward and applauded those who speak out when things don’t seem right. Without whistleblowers, many of these issues would go unnoticed and result in further incidents and potential deaths. 

“Voluntary reporting without fear of reprisal is a critical component in aviation safety. We strongly encourage everyone in the aviation industry to share information. We thoroughly investigate all reports,” the FAA spokesperson said. 

Salehpour’s Lawyer Happy To Represent Him

Salehpour’s lawyer, Debra Katz, described her client as brave for coming forward. She’s happy to be representing him and believes his allegations will have an impact on the entire aviation industry as a whole. 

“Endemic at Boeing is a culture where whistleblowers are retaliated against and sidelined,” Katz continues. “Despite repeated attempts to force our client to remain silent, he has continued to raise issues both internally with the federal regulators, and now with the public.”

Comes After String Of Incidents With Boeing

The recent allegations against Boeing are just the latest in a string of incidents that have hurt the aviation giant’s reputation. Their tumultuous 2024 began with an incident in January that saw Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 make a safe landing. 

The incident was caused by a plug door (part of the aircraft’s fuselage) falling apart mid-air during a flight to Ontario, California from Portland, Oregon. Luckily, no one was injured or killed, but several passengers are now suing the company. 

Six Incidents In March Alone

March was an especially concerning month for Boeing. On March 7, a tire on a United Airlines Boeing 777-200 fell off after takeoff, and on March 8, a United Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 rolled off the runway following its landing. 

Strong movement aboard LATAM Airlines Boeing 787-9 resulted in 50 injuries on March 11, an undisclosed maintenance issue caused United Airlines Boeing 777 to return to the airport on March 12, and a panel was found missing aboard United Airlines Boeing 737 on March 15.

Dave Calhoun Stepping Down As CEO

To make matters worse for Boeing, its CEO – Dave Calhoun – announced on March 25 that he will be stepping down as CEO at the end of the year. He cited the company’s recent string of incidents as a major reason for his decision. 

“It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve Boeing,” said Calhoun in a letter to employees. “The eyes of the world are on us, and I know that we will come through this moment a better company.”

Calls For Total Commitment To Quality and Safety

In the letter, Calhoun said he remains committed to returning Boeing to stability ‘after the extraordinary challenges of the past five years.’ He wants the company to move forward ‘with safety and quality at the forefront of everything that we do.’

“We must continue to respond to this accident with humility and complete transparency. We also must inculcate a total commitment to safety and quality at every level of our company,” he said.