Comment by rdtsc | Hacker News Reader

Comment by rdtsc | Hacker News Reader

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So at first NTSB asked "do you know who did it?", and Boeing said "no we don't". Then NTSB asked if they at least could get the list of the employee team who would have been responsible for performing that task and that's where the disagreement is, whether the names were provided or not.

> Investigators have also been seeking the names of the 25 Boeing employees who are part of the team that opens and closes door plugs. But so far, Homendy says the plane-maker has not provided those names.

> "Early in the investigation, we provided the NTSB with names of Boeing employees, including door specialists, who we believed would have relevant information. We have now provided the full list of individuals on the 737 door team, in response to a recent request," Greenwood said.

I wonder if NTSB is seeking to at least interview the whole team to see what they say. Would they even remember that long ago who did what? Or I guess they are after more evidence that this kind of stuff just happens routinely. Though I think it's seems quite clear it is.

I would guess they're more interested in the processes and structures involved that allowed something like the plug door falling off to happen. The best way to find the issues is to talk to the people who deal with these processes day to day, especially in regards to these door plugs and whatever documentation about the plane may be available.

That would also be my guess, the NTSB is not generally interested in assigning blame to individuals, they’re interested in finding systemic and structural failures.

Right, I think the questions are going to be along the lines of “Do you feel the proper controls are in place for you to ensure the safety of the aircraft you service?”

The NTSB is after Boeing.

For an individual employee that usually falls into the bucket of "While I have no explicit memory of such an event. In the event that someone had instructed me to perform such a task I would have performed the task consistent with the training and procedures provided to me"

> Would they even remember that long ago who did what?

The plane in question was manufactured last summer, IIRC.

Yeah, I don't know what I did last summer. Especially at work, unless you've got logs to remind me.

And if Boeing had logs, they probably would have shared them.

Airplane maintenance is not YOLOed. Logs must exist. My mechanic logs every thing he does on my plane. Else it cannot fly legally. Lack of these logs might be a serious offense in of itself.

I believe we are well into the "not fly legally" territory when it comes to Boeing and the 737 MAX

> Airplane maintenance is not YOLOed. Logs must exist. My mechanic logs every thing he does on my plane. Else it cannot fly legally. Lack of these logs might be a serious offense in of itself.

What a coincidence that single mechanic is more accountable than a "committee".

Oddly your mechanic is much more tightly regulated maintaining your plane than he would be if he got a job at an airplane factory.

Problem being that Boeing has a history of not sharing their logs and misleading the NTSB, which has cost lives in the past.

But you aren't Boeing. What you did last summer has no bearing.

I hope it’s sarcasm. I have git logs to look at. You’d think Boeing would have more than that.

I mean, what was I doing on September 19, 2023? IHNFC. I could look at work logs and notes, and my personal calendar and guess. But if I did any work stuff without detailed logs, I might be able to tell you I did X or Y, but unless it was special, I wouldn't be able to tell you much in detail or why I did a routine task one way or another.

Boeing does have logs for some operations, but based on the preliminary report, and that one forum post, and this hearing, it seems highly likely that this plug opening and closing was not documented. It would be interesting to know if other openings were or were not. Unsourced reports indicated many fuselages needed rivet repair, so there could be several examples to look at.

I remember what I was doing on 19th of September 2023. Just checked my email and I can clearly recall the day. I was getting ready for a business trip the next day, which was my birthday, too.

The question is not what they have or don't have, the question is what they should have. Someone was doing the job, someone signed it off, someone clocked in to start the work, clocked out after work. Who did what can be inferred. At least you'd hope so. These people aren't building model aircraft...

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