The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing to drop its criminal case against Boeing, according to attorneys representing families of the victims in two fatal plane crashes that prompted the investigation. The move comes despite an earlier agreement in which Boeing pledged to plead guilty to charges stemming from those incidents.
Boeing had faced significant scrutiny following the crashes of two 737 MAX aircraft—Lion Air Flight 610 in 2018 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 in 2019—that together claimed the lives of 346 people. Investigations revealed flawed flight control software and a lack of adequate pilot training as contributing factors to the tragedies.
Under a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) reached in 2021, Boeing was charged with conspiracy to defraud the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but the charges were set to be dropped after three years if Boeing complied with the terms of the agreement. These terms included a $2.5 billion settlement and reforms to its compliance and safety protocols.
In 2023, following continued pressure from victims’ families and further safety concerns, the DOJ announced it was reevaluating the agreement. Boeing later agreed to plead guilty to violating the original DPA, acknowledging shortcomings in its compliance efforts.
Despite this, the DOJ now appears poised to drop the case entirely, a decision that has shocked and angered families of the victims. Legal representatives for the families argue that the DOJ is failing to hold Boeing fully accountable for the loss of life and the company’s role in misleading regulatory authorities.
Neither Boeing nor the DOJ has publicly commented on the latest development, which marks another controversial chapter in the years-long legal and regulatory saga involving one of the world’s largest aerospace manufacturers.
Victims’ families are calling for reconsideration of the DOJ’s decision and are urging greater transparency and accountability in corporate regulation, especially in industries with high public safety stakes.
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