Boeing says no documents found on 737 MAX 9 key part removal

Boeing lacks documentation on 737 MAX 9 part removal, NTSB criticizes lack of cooperation in investigation.

Boeing said on Friday it believes required documents detailing the removal of a key part during production of a 737 MAX 9 that failed during a mid-air emergency were never created, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said last month the door plug that flew off an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX 9 jet mid-flight on Jan. 5 appeared to be missing four key bolts.

Boeing Executive Vice President Ziad Ojakli told U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell in the letter, "We have looked extensively and have not found any such documentation" and that the planemaker's working hypothesis was "the documents required by our processes were not created when the door plug was opened."

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy on Wednesday criticized what she called Boeing's lack of cooperation and failure to disclose some documents, including on the door plug opening and closing, as well as the names of 25 workers on the door crew at the 737 factory in Renton, Washington.

"It is absurd that two months later we don't have it," Ms. Homendy told a Senate Commerce Committee hearing.

After Ms. Homendy's comments, Boeing provided the 25 names, the company and NTSB said, and Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun spoke to Ms. Homendy.

In the aftermath of the incident, which caused no injuries, the Federal Aviation Administration grounded the MAX 9 for several weeks in January, barred Boeing from increasing the MAX production rate and ordered Boeing to develop a comprehensive plan to address "systemic quality-control issues" within 90 days.