Federal officials intensify oversight of Boeing aircraft

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The Federal Aviation Administration will begin auditing Boeing’s aircraft production and increase oversight of the troubled manufacturer after a panel blew off a jetliner in midflight last week, the last in a string of mishaps for its marquee aircraft.

The agency’s move comes just a day after it announced an investigation into whether Boeing failed to make sure a fuselage panel that blew off was safe and manufactured to meet the design that regulators approved.

The FAA said Friday that it would audit Boeing’s 737 Max 9 jetliner production line, as well as the company’s parts suppliers “to evaluate Boeing’s compliance with its approved quality procedures.”

The FAA statement said it also would look into safety risks from the agency delegating inspection authority to company employees, and will consider moving those functions to an independent third party.

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 “It is time to re-examine the delegation of authority and assess any associated safety risks,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said in the statement. “The grounding of the 737-9 and the multiple production-related issues identified in recent years require us to look at every option to reduce risk.”

The agency also will increase monitoring of 737-Max incidents that happen while the plane is in use.

Boeing said Thursday it would cooperate with the FAA investigation, which is focusing on plugs used to fill spots for extra doors when those exits are not required for safety reasons on Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners.

The FAA investigation is focusing on plugs used to fill spots for extra doors when those exits are not required for safety reasons on Boeing 737 Max 9 jetliners.

One of two plugs on an Alaska Airlines jetliner blew out shortly after the plane took off from Portland, Oregon, a week ago, leaving a hole in the plane. The cabin lost pressure and the plane was forced to return to Portland to make an emergency landing.

After the incident, the FAA grounded all Max 9s equipped with the plugs, forcing Alaska and United to cut flights. The aircraft remain grounded while the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA continue their investigation.