Boeing 737 Max: Safety checks find dish soap and hotel key cards used by mechanics on planes worth $100m raising more concerns

A six-week audit into Boeing and its subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems has found “dozens” of quality control problems including dish soap and hotel key cards being used on parts of planes. The audit run by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) found that mechanics working for Spirit were observed using Dawn dish soap on a door seal in place of lubricant. The seal was then reportedly cleaned up with a “wet cheesecloth.” 

In another instance, Spirit mechanics were reportedly found using a hotel key card to check a door seal. Spirit AeroSystems built the door plug that blew out of the Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 plane shortly after it took off on Friday 5 January. The incident grounded this fleet of Boeing aircraft but has now returned to service despite concerns. A former US congressman, Peter DeFazio, previously slammed Boeing for relying on “crappy stuff” from its subcontractor. 

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The New York Times reports that Boeing failed 33 inspections carried out as part of the audit, and Spirit failed a further seven. The use of hotel keycards and Dawn dish soap in the production of a $100 million aircraft sparks even more concerns and is very alarming.

A spokesperson from Spirit, Joe Buccino, told the Times that the manufacturer was “reviewing” any identified issues for “corrective action.” Meanwhile the FAA has given Boeing 90 days to address shortcomings in its quality control.

Boeing has so far not commented on the FAA’s findings in the audit process. It comes after the shock announcement yesterday (Tuesday 12 March) that Boeing’s former quality manager, who was in the middle of blowing the whistle against the firm over safety issues, has been found dead in the US. Mr Barnett had worked for Boeing for 32 years, until his retirement in 2017, and had raised concerns about Boeing's production standards following the blow out incident in January.

The Charleston County coroner confirmed his death to the BBC on Monday (11 March). It said the 62-year-old had died from a "self-inflicted" wound on Saturday (9 March) and police were investigating. In the days before his death, he had been giving evidence in a whistleblower lawsuit against the firm. He gave a formal deposition in which he was questioned by Boeing's lawyers, before being cross-examined by his own counsel.

He had been due to undergo further questioning on Saturday but he did not appear. Enquiries were made at his hotel and he was subsequently found dead in his truck in the hotel car park.

Mr Barnett had raised concerns about the aircraft being back in service again so quickly. He told TMZ Live on Wednesday, 31 January that he is “concerned” about the aircraft being back up in the air as jobs are “not being completed properly”. Police are continuing to investigate his death.