"It just appears to me that the airplane is unable to climb," former NTSB investigator Jeff Guzzetti tells NPR. Several explanations could account for that, the aviation expert says.

The FAA says Boeing informed the agency in April that required inspections to confirm that the wings were properly bonded to the carbon fiber fuselage on certain 787 jets were not completed.

This week brought more damaging allegations about Boeing as an engineer accused the company of taking production "shortcuts." He joins a growing list of whistleblowers who say they faced retaliation.

Air New Zealand will turn one of its 787s into a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Auckland Airport on Saturday. It's part of a broader day of action aimed at boosting the country's vaccination rate.