US DoT finds weaknesses in US FAA certification and delegation processes hindered 737 MAX oversight

US Department of Transport (US DoT) Office of the Inspector General released (23-Feb-2021) its report into the US FAA's certification efforts for the Boeing 737 MAX 8, finding weaknesses in the agency's certification and delegation processes hindered its oversight of the aircraft programme. Key findings include:

• While the FAA and Boeing followed the established certification process for the 737 MAX 8, there were limitations in FAA's guidance and processes that impacted certification and led to a significant misunderstanding of the Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), the flight control software identified as contributing to the two accidents:
  • The FAA's certification guidance does not adequately address integrating new technologies into existing aircraft models;
  • The FAA did not have a complete understanding of Boeing's safety assessments performed on MCAS until after the first accident;
• Communication gaps further hindered the effectiveness of the certification process. In addition, management and oversight weaknesses limit FAA's ability to assess and mitigate risks with the Boeing Organization Designation Authorization (ODA). For example, the FAA has not yet implemented a risk-based approach to ODA oversight, and engineers in the FAA's Boeing oversight office continue to face challenges in balancing certification and oversight responsibilities. Moreover, the Boeing ODA process and structure do not ensure ODA personnel are adequately independent;
• While the FAA has taken steps to develop a risk-based oversight model and address concerns of undue pressure at the Boeing ODA, it is not clear that FAA's current oversight structure and processes can effectively identify future high-risk safety concerns at the ODA.

The US DoT made 14 recommendations to improve the Agency's aircraft certification process and oversight of the Boeing ODA. FAA concurred with all 14 of the recommendations and provided appropriate actions and planned completion dates. [more - original PR]