FAA and NASA to launch joint review group with international aviation officials to examine the certification of Boeing MAX jets

WASHINGTON - On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that the agency would join NASA and international aviation officials to form the Joint Authorities Technical Review which will review the design and certification of the Boeing MAX commercial aircraft. The group will be led by former National Transportation Safety Board head Christopher Hart.

Last month, a Boeing 737 MAX jet crashed in Ethiopia, killing all on board. That tragedy occurred just months after another MAX disaster. Both incidents have similarities in that the crashes happened shortly after takeoff, and may have been caused by the autopilot pointing the nose of the plane down to avoid a stall.

House Transportation chair Peter DeFazio said, “Given the many serious questions surrounding the Boeing 737 MAX and the FAA’s certification process, it has become abundantly clear that an independent body must be able to review every step of the process and help restore public confidence — both in the U.S. and around the world — that all identified problems will be resolved well before the MAX is allowed to be restored to service.”

Ethiopian Minister of Transport Dagmawit Moges said today that the crew of the Ethiopian Airlines “performed all the procedures, repeatedly, provided by the manufacturer but was not able to control the aircraft.”

On Thursday, the FAA released an update on the investigation, writing: "The ECAA investigation remains ongoing, with the participation of the FAA and the NTSB. We continue to work toward a full understanding of all aspects of this accident. As we learn more about the accident and findings become available, we will take appropriate action."

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