Boeing avoids criminal trial with $243.6M settlement over fatal crashes

In two plane crashes of Boeing 737 Max aircraft in Indonesia (October 29, 2018) and Ethiopia (March 10, 2019), a total of 346 people died. The causes were identical in both cases: faulty sensors and a software error that automatically directed the plane's nose downward.

Boeing agreed with the U.S. Department of Justice to avoid trial regarding these two crashes. For $243.6 million, the company will admit to the fraud charge and avoid a criminal trial. The families of the victims are strongly protesting this resolution.

Boeing repeatedly pays fines and it doesn’t seem to change anything. When people start going to jail, that's when we will see change, said Ike Riffel from California, whose sons died in the Ethiopian Airlines crash.

For the settlement to take effect, it must be approved by a federal judge in Texas. Before reaching the agreement, the judge called the case of the American aviation company "Boeing's blatant criminal conduct." Lawyers representing some of the victims' families said they would press the judge to reject the agreement.

This sweet deal doesn’t take into account the fact that 346 people died because of Boeing’s conspiracy. Thanks to the cunning actions of Boeing's lawyers and the Department of Justice, the deadly consequences of Boeing's crimes have been concealed, said lawyer Paul Cassell.

However, even if the judge rejects the settlement proposal, it will not be equivalent to starting a criminal trial against Boeing. The Department of Justice can negotiate another settlement with the American aviation giant.

Relatives of the crash victims are strongly pushing for a trial. They argue that only in court can it be proven that Boeing's management knew and deliberately deceived the Federal Aviation Administration about the defects in their 737 Max aircraft.

The fact that Boeing downplayed the significance of the defective system and reviewed it only after the second crash is causing huge controversy. Several glaring violations and inconvenient facts speak against Boeing.

In the report by Boeing's quality assurance inspector, Sam Mohawk, specific allegations are made. According to him, the company installed defective parts in its new aircraft. After discovering the defects, the man was instructed by Boeing's management to hide the evidence from government regulatory bodies.

Two other Boeing employees, John Barnett and Joshua Dean, who spoke out about production negligence, died under mysterious circumstances.