On March 10th, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crashed a few minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa, killing all 157 people on board. This followed the October crash of Lion Air Flight 610 in Indonesia that killed all 189 passengers and crew. The plane involved in both crashes is the Boeing 737 Max 8 jetliner, one of the best-selling airplanes in history.
In response, airline regulators around the world have grounded the plane as investigators continue to sift through the wreckage of both crashes to determine what went wrong. That investigation is ongoing, but it has focused on the Max 8’s stall-prevention system, apparent maintenance lapses, and potential pilot error.
Boeing’s response has been to update the Max 8’s flight control systems, pilot displays, operation manuals, and crew training. But the airline manufacturer and the Federal Aviation Administration are now facing questions about the certification, and criminal inquiries could be a result.
Apr 9, 2021, 3:19 PM UTCSean O'Kane
Airlines ground some 737 Max airplanes after Boeing discovers new problem
It seems unrelated to what caused the fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019
Jan 7, 2021, 9:27 PM UTCSean O'Kane
Boeing criminally charged for lying about 737 Max crashes, fined $2.5 billion
The Department of Justice says Boeing defrauded the United States by lying to the FAA
Dec 18, 2020, 10:51 PM UTCSean O'Kane
FAA and Boeing manipulated 737 Max tests during recertification
One of many accusations in a damning new Senate report
Dec 9, 2020, 9:40 PM UTCSean O'Kane
Boeing’s 737 Max is back in service
The troubled plane returns to the skies nearly two years after a pair of deadly crashes
Aug 3, 2020, 10:39 PM UTCSean O'Kane
FAA shares new steps for Boeing to return 737 Max to the skies
New software, new manuals, and new procedures
Jun 29, 2020, 9:14 PM UTCSean O'Kane
Boeing and FAA start first test flights of 737 Max since deadly crashes
The plane’s been grounded since March 2019
May 27, 2020, 9:49 PM UTCAndrew J. Hawkins
Boeing resumes production of its troubled 737 Max airplane
The plane has yet to be cleared by the FAA to return to passenger service
Feb 6, 2020, 5:42 PM UTCSean O'Kane
Boeing finds another software problem on the 737 Max
This new flaw might be a result of fixes to the previous problems.
Jan 21, 2020, 8:35 PM UTCNick Statt
Boeing now says the 737 Max won’t fly again until at least mid-2020
Boeing is facing an uphill battle to get its troubled aircraft ungrounded
Jan 10, 2020, 3:26 AM UTCElizabeth Lopatto and Sean O'Kane
Boeing employees’ frightening internal messages released in 737 Max investigation
‘Would you put your family on a Max simulator trained aircraft? I wouldn’t.’
Dec 23, 2019, 2:20 PM UTCSean O'Kane
Boeing CEO pushed out amid 737 Max crisis
Dennis Muilenburg is out and Boeing’s chairman is taking over
Dec 16, 2019, 9:49 PM UTCSean O'Kane
Boeing will halt production of troubled 737 Max airplane
It’s unclear how long the suspension will last
Oct 23, 2019, 12:00 PM UTCDarryl Campbell
The 737 built Southwest, and the 737 Max could be its undoing
How Boeing’s 737 Max debacle threatens your favorite budget airlines
Jul 26, 2019, 11:52 AM UTCJon Porter
Southwest Airlines is leaving Newark Airport due to 737 Max grounding
Its 737 Max flights are now cancelled until 2020
Jul 18, 2019, 9:56 PM UTCSean O'Kane
Southwest Airlines cancels Boeing 737 Max flights until at least November
Boeing doesn’t expect the plane to fly again until the fourth quarter
Jul 14, 2019, 3:57 PM UTCAndrew Liptak
American Airlines cancels Boeing 737 Max flights through November
The airline follows United and Southwest, which have also canceled flights
Jul 12, 2019, 5:57 PM UTCSean O'Kane
United cancels 5,000 more Boeing 737 Max flights through October
The airline is now targeting bringing the aircraft back in early November
Jul 3, 2019, 7:11 PM UTCSean O'Kane
Boeing announces $100 million fund for families of 737 Max crash victims
The fund won’t interfere with any lawsuits already filed by families, the company says
Jun 27, 2019, 9:41 PM UTCSean O'Kane
Southwest and United Airlines extend 737 Max cancellations after new flaw found
US airlines are split on what the FAA’s discovery means for the plane
Jun 27, 2019, 6:15 AM UTCVlad Savov
Newly discovered safety risk will keep Boeing’s 737 Max grounded for longer
Another safety setback for Boeing’s calamitous plane
Jun 10, 2019, 5:45 PM UTCSean O'Kane
American Airlines extends canceled 737 Max flights to at least September
United and Southwest have canceled flights through August, too
Apr 4, 2019, 9:51 AM UTCAndrew J. Hawkins and Jon Porter
Preliminary report into 737 Max crash clears pilots, suggests anti-stall tech to blame
All eyes now focused on Boeing’s automated flight control software
Mar 24, 2019, 3:55 PM UTCAndrew Liptak
Regulators have ‘tentatively approved’ a software fix for Boeing’s 737 Max airplane
The software update will change an automated system, and still has to go through flight testing
Mar 22, 2019, 1:00 PM UTCAndrew J. Hawkins
Everything you need to know about the Boeing 737 Max airplane crashes
What are the 737 Max jets? Why did two of them crash within five months of each other? And what is MCAS?
Mar 21, 2019, 5:48 PM UTCShannon Liao
Crashed Boeing planes were missing safety features that would have cost airlines extra
Boeing will stop charging for one of the features following deadly crashes