The U.S. Department of Transportation's top inspector has launched a third audit into the Federal Aviation Administration's oversight of the Boeing 737 Max, this time investigating the administration's grounding and issuance of certification, reports said Wednesday.
The audit will evaluate the agency's actions following the aircraft's two fatal accidents - including the administration's risk assessments, the plane's grounding and its subsequent recertification, according to the Office of the Inspector General.
Airlines want to put their Max jets back into operation as they prepare for a busy summer. But they have said they have largely been able to cope without the planes by using other aircraft.
The issues surrounding the administration's oversight and a newly discovered defect of the Max threatens efforts to restore passenger confidence in the plane.
"The aim of the audit is to evaluate administration's processes and procedures for grounding aircraft and implementing corrective actions, including for the Boeing 737 Max," Flight Global quoted a memorandum from the Office of Inspector General as saying.
The 737 MAX was grounded in March 2019 following crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia within five months that claimed the lives of 346 passengers. The administration certified the jets as airworthy after significant safety upgrades during the aircraft's 20-month grounding.
Earlier this month Boeing recommended carriers remove some 737 Max planes from service because of an electrical problem.
Legislation in December updated the administration's jet certification program and called for an independent investigation of Boeing's safety protocols.
