The US Justice Department is scrutinising the midair blowout last month of a Boeing Co. door plug on an Alaska Air flight, in a move that could expose the company to criminal prosecution, according to a person familiar with the matter.
The DOJ is examining whether the incident falls under the government’s 2021 deferred-prosecution agreement with the company over two previous fatal crashes of its 737 Max jetliner, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing a confidential matter.
If prosecutors determine that the door plug blowout constitutes a breach of that agreement, then Boeing could face criminal liability, the person said.
