Ralph Nader: All 737 Aircrafts Should Be Grounded For Good

Longtime consumer rights advocate, Ralph Nader, who is best known for pushing automakers to install seat belts, made a very strong statement yesterday against Boeing. He stated all of their 737 aircrafts should be grounded and should never fly again.

Nader’s comments come just one month after his niece,
Samya Stumo, died while aboard the Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max 8 plane crashed in Indonesia, which killed all 157 passengers.

“Those planes should never fly again,” Nader stated. He is also pointing blame at the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”), who is charged with overseeing the safety of all air traffic in the United States. “If we don’t end the cozy relationship between the patsy FAA…and the Boeing company, 5,000 of these fatally flawed planes will be in the air all over the world with millions of passengers,” Nader said.

Both Boeing and the FAA are still trying to determine the exact cause of the plane crash. A preliminary report has pointed towards faulty software installed by Boeing on the 737s. “It’s our responsibility to eliminate this risk. We own it, and we know how to do it,” stated Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg in a statement released by the company last week. Boeing said it is still working with the FAA and regulatory agencies to develop and certify an “anti-stall” software update designed to keep the system from being activated unintentionally, along with additional training for pilots.

This obviously is not enough for Nader and other family members of the 737 crash victims. Nader has advocated for consumer right over the last 50 years and has succeeded in the push for change in the auto, food and drug
industries, workplace safety and clean air and water. Thankfully, the 737 Max 8 planes are currently grounded. T Boeing must correct their errors quickly and completely before any consideration to put them back in the air.

If you or a loved has been seriously injured in a Chicago product defect case or suffered a serious personal injury, then call Chicago accident attorney, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation at 312-614-106.

Will Southwest Airlines Passenger Fatality Lead To More Thorough Engine Inspections?

Whether you fly Southwest Airlines or not, it was terrifying to hear about the passenger death occurred last month on that airline while the plain was mid-flight. The Southwest 737  engine failed, causing a blast the shattered a window and eventually killing one passenger.

Reports have indicated that a cursory inspection of the engine just two (2) days before this incident revealed that the engine seemed to be in perfect working condition.  Robert L. Sumwalt, chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board (“NTSB”), said a blade in the engine had broken in two places — where the blade attaches to the main hub and higher up, approximately at the midpoint of the blade. He said that a crack “was on the interior of the fan blade,” and that it was “more than likely not detectable from looking from the outside.”

Days after the incident, investigators are concluding that a simple visual inspection of an engine may not be enough. According to the New York Times, the company who manufactures the engine, CFM International,  recommended that airlines conduct ultrasound inspections of the blades. In the United States, carriers aren’t required to follow manufacturers’ guidelines.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is now issuing a directive that all airlines follow CFM’s recommendation to perform the more thorough ultrasound inspection. Unfortunately this is a few weeks too late.

It is important to point out that the NTSB still has not concluded what the root cause of he blade to break apart. It could have been, as suggested above, a lax inspection process. Or possibly a design defect in the engine.

I believe we will see a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of the deceased passenger. They will no doubt name both Southwest and the engine manufacturer as defendants in the case. The interesting thing in this case, which does not bode well for Southwest, is that the Plaintiff’s attorney and the engine manufacturer will argue that they recommended ultrasound inspections for all engines over a year prior to this incident. Southwest did not follow these instructions, and that could be viewed as negligent behavior. It could be argued that Southwest had notice of the potential issue and that the time and cost of this more intense inspection were minimal. Failure to do this inspection was negligent behavior that caused this accident. It will be interesting to see what happens and whether a lawsuit is eventually filed.

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured in a Chicago personal injury accident, then call Chicago accident lawyer, Aaron J. Bryant, for a free legal consultation.