Boeing's week of woes - 50 injured, tyre falls off and whistleblower dead
After a near-catastrophic incident when a blew out mid-flight on Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 on January 5 – it was hard to believe 2024 could get worse for the American aviation company.
Fast forward to March, and Boeing is embroiled in controversy, with a mid-air fuel leak on a 777 aircraft on Monday (March 11) adding to a long list of issues in recent months. Over the span of seven days, the aviation giant has been on the wrong end of no less than five incidents, including the alleged suicide of a former staff member-turned-whistleblower.
Boeing’s stock prices are flailing, its reputation bruised and reputation with customers waning. From burning engines to parts of the plane falling off mid-flight – the Mirror has rounded up key incidents Boeing has faced over a week-long period.
READ MORE: Boeing whistleblower found dead in car park after testifying about plane firm's production standards
50 passengers were injured with 12 hospitalised in one recent Boeing incident (ABC/GMA)
The American aviation giant has faced five separate incidents in a week (ABC/GMA)Fuel leak – March 11
Just two hours after taking off from Sydney, Australia on its 14 hour journey to San Francisco, United Airlines’ flight was forced to return to the runway after fuel began spewing from its landing gear.
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The Boeing 777-300 carrying 183 was forced to ground due to the “maintenance issue,” according to a statement from United Airlines. No injuries were reported.
‘50 injured’ – March 11
Around 50 people were treated by paramedics after a Boeing 787 Dreamliner suddenly dropped mid-air on Monday afternoon. The Chilean LATAM Airlines flight was from Sydney, Australia, heading to Auckland, New Zealand.
The pilot allegedly told passengers that the “gauges just blanked out” and he “lost all ability to fly the plane”. Twelve passengers were taken to hospital, with one believed to have been in critical condition.
"The plane, unannounced, just dropped. I mean it dropped unlike anything I’ve ever experienced on any kind of minor turbulence," a passenger told the BBC.
Whistleblower death – March 9
John Barnett allegedly 'took own life' just days after testifying in courtJust days after testifying in a bombshell lawsuit against Boeing, John Barnett was found dead in his truck outside his South Carolina hotel. The 62-year-old had previously worked at the company for 32 years.
John, who worked as a quality manager of the aviation company, had been providing evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the company in recent days, according to the BBC. In 2019, he alleged that Boeing had deliberately fitted planes with faulty parts which would leave passengers without oxygen in the case of decompression – which Boeing denied.
It is said he died from an apparent “self-inflicted” gunshot wound on Monday and police are investigating.
Runway crash – March 8
Boeing is desperately clambering to be in better favour with its customers after its recent incidents (Getty Images)Around 160 passengers onboard a United Airlines Boeing 737 max were left in shock after the aircraft veered into the grass upon landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on the morning of March 8.
After the plane "rolled onto the grass," the Federal Aviation Administration said they were "investigating the incident".
Wheel falls off – March 7
Shortly after a United Airline-operated Boeing 777-200 took off on the morning of March 7 in San Francisco, one of its 256lb wheels came hurtling from the sky, crushing cars on the ground.
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The flight heading to Osaka, Japan was barely off the runway when the wheel came off mid-flight. After the incident, the plane was diverted to Los Angeles airport where it made an emergency landing.
Bubble wrap causes 'nosedive' – March 4
Flames came pouring out the engine of a Boeing 737 after bubble wrap allegedly got clogged in the engine causing the plane to "nosedive," a passenger told ABC13. The United Airlines flight returned to Houston 10 minutes after take-off in its flight to Fort Meyers, Florida.
It is unclear how the bubble wrap was sucked into the plane's engine.
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