The Justice Department says it has reached an agreement in principle with Boeing to drop a criminal case over two fatal crashes of 737 Max jets, despite objections from some victims' family members.
The latest safety lapse at Boeing renews concerns about the company's influence in Washington and whether federal regulators have delegated too much of their oversight authority to its employees.
The lawsuit doesn't specifically mention door plug systems like the one that failed last week. But it adds to the scrutiny of Spirit AeroSystems, which has been linked to other problems.
The families of 346 people who died in two Boeing crashes want the DOJ to rescind a settlement that protects Boeing and its executives from criminal prosecution but the DOJ stands behind the deal.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency announced a modified version of the 737 Max will be allowed to fly once again. The Max jetliner was grounded worldwide after two deadly crashes.
The airplane manufacturer admits deceiving regulators about the safety of a flight control system blamed in two crashes that killed 346 people. Critics call the settlement "a slap on the wrist."
Just two weeks ago, U.S. regulators cleared Boeing's 737 Max to fly following the deadly crashes of two of the planes in 2018 and 2019. Now Boeing is reporting an order for 75 of the aircraft.
