Former Boeing chief test pilot indicted for fraud over 737 Max crashes
By Devlin Barrett and Michael Laris
Yesterday at 10:00 p.m. EDT
A former chief test pilot for Boeing has been charged with fraud for allegedly deceiving federal authorities about a part of the flight controls on 737 Max airplanes, a model that led to horrific crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed hundreds of people.
The Justice Department announced the indictment Thursday of Mark A. Forkner, 49, charging that he withheld vital safety information and “affirmatively deceived” the Federal Aviation Administration during the agency’s certification of the 737 Max.
The two 737 Max jets crashed in late 2018 and early 2019, killing 346 people and prompting airlines to ground the plane while authorities investigated how an automated flight control system may have led to the crashes.
“In an attempt to save Boeing money, Forkner allegedly withheld critical information from regulators,” said Chad E. Meacham, acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. “His callous choice to mislead the FAA hampered the agency’s ability to protect the flying public and left pilots in the lurch, lacking information about certain 737 MAX flight controls.”
The charges against Forkner include two counts of fraud involving aircraft parts in interstate commerce and four counts of wire fraud. He is due in federal court in Fort Worth on Friday. The most serious charge against him carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/boeing-indict-mark-forkner-pilot/2021/10/14/166e2dfc-2d3b-11ec-985d-3150f7e106b2_story.html
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