Flying is a safe and convenient means of transportation which is statistically significantly less risky than others, such as driving. According to an article in Fortune, Americans have a 1 in 114 chance of dying in a car crash; the odds of dying in an airplane are 1 in 9,821. However, there is no denying that for most people flying is the much more frightening prospect, especially considering that when an accident does happen, the results tend to be catastrophic.
Following two such aviation accidents, safety issues have been raised concerning the Boeing 737 MAX, the latest iteration of the Boeing 737. Once the world’s best-selling airplane, the 737 MAX was grounded worldwide last year following the fatal crashes of Lion Air Flight 610 in 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in 2019. Just today it was reported that Boeing customers canceled a staggering number MAX plane orders in March, which further damages the losses suffered by the company due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Boeing has been plagued with many troubles over the last few years. Last month, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it was considering a $19.7 million fine on Boeing concerning a violation regarding defective parts. The FAA alleges that Boeing installed Rockwell Collins Head-up Guidance Systems in hundreds of their airplanes, including the Boeing 737 MAX, a device that has not been approved to work with the sensors in those planes. This potential defect has not been connected to the two 737 MAX plane crashes.
Production of new Boeing 737 MAX airplanes has been suspended since January. Considering the canceled orders and the fact that people are currently traveling less by air, the Boeing 737 MAX will not likely take to the skies anytime soon. In the meantime, the two plane crashes and potentially defective parts will continue to be investigated in the hopes of making the planes air-worthy in the future.
Victims of accidents caused by defective airline parts or products are entitled to seek financial damages following a plane crash. If you or a loved one has been the victim of an aviation accident, our Alaska attorney and licensed airplane pilot David Henderson can help.
To speak with an Anchorage aviation accident attorney today contact us.