FAA audit finds issues in Boeing 737 MAX production after midair blowout

The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) audit of Boeing’s 737 MAX production process after a panel blew off on an Alaska Airlines jet in January failed 33 of 89 tests, the New York Times reported on Monday.

In the wide-ranging investigation, Boeing failed a check which dealt with the component that blew off the jet, known as a door plug, the report said, citing an FAA presentation viewed by NYT.

Boeing’s shares were down 1.4% in premarket trading on Tuesday.

Supplier Spirit AeroSystems, which makes the fuselage for the MAX, passed six of 13 audits and failed the rest, the report added.