RENTON, Wash. — On Wednesday, internal Boeing sources told KING 5 there was a slowdown in Renton's 737-MAX assembly line because of defective electrical junction boxes.
Executive Director of Boeing's engineering union Ray Goforth confirmed in a statement that there was a problem with the junction boxes and it slowed or stopped production. However, he was unaware of how significant the slowdown was.
The MAX passenger plane has miles of electrical wiring and while it's unclear which junction box is impacted, Aviation Expert John Nance said fixing the problem is imperative.
"If it is a generic situation with a number of these boxes being found to be less than they should then it has to be addressed, there's no question about it," said Nance.
Boeing describes the items as non-conforming components and said despite this problem, production continues in the Renton factory.
A statement from the company to KING 5 reads, “Production continues in our 737 factory in Renton as our team builds and prepares airplanes for our customers. Our team identified a non-conforming component and are replacing those components on three delivered 737 MAX airplanes. Per our standard process, we will perform any necessary rework on airplanes in our production system to ensure they meet all requirements prior to delivery.”
Scrutiny has fallen on Boeing since January, after a door plug flew out a jet midflight. Problems on the factory floor were called into question after it was revealed four necessary bolts were missing from that door plug. Since then, Boeing has said it will slow production to prioritize safety.
"We are seeing a new normal, this is what Boeing should be doing. Stopping the line occasionally because not everything is going to go 100% right, listening to their people with an astute ear and never trying to gloss something over," said Nance.
Boeing's new CEO Kelly Ortberg, who will be based in Seattle, officially took over the company Thursday and began by touring the Renton factory. This comes one day after the FAA said it has 16 open enforcement cases against Boeing which is more than triple the normal amount.