A Boeing whistleblower told NBC he believes all 787 Dreamliners should be grounded in an interview broadcast Tuesday.
This was Sam Salehpour’s first on-camera interview since his allegations became public last week. It claims that parts of the Boeing 787 and 777 were misaligned during production, posing a safety threat.
Sam Salehpour, who has worked for Boeing for more than a decade as a quality engineer, said it observed “shortcuts used by Boeing to reduce bottlenecks during the 787 assembly process.”
This could “significantly” shorten the life of the plane due to metal fatigue and cause an accident, he added.
The 787 is Boeing’s flagship wide-body aircraft, first entering service in 2011. About 1,100 have since been delivered to airlines around the world.
Asked by NBC whether Boeing should ground all Dreamliners, Salehpour said, “I would say they should.”
“As far as I’m concerned, the entire global fleet needs attention right now,” he added.
He also told NBC he wouldn’t put his own family on a Boeing 787.
Salehpour is expected to testify before the Senate on Wednesday.
Contacted by Business Insider about Salehpour’s comments, Boeing said it had “full confidence in the 787 Dreamliner.”
“These claims about the structural integrity of the 787 are inaccurate and do not represent the comprehensive work done by Boeing to ensure the long-term quality and safety of the aircraft,” he added.
“The issues raised underwent a rigorous technical review under the supervision of the FAA. This analysis validated that these issues present no safety concerns and that the aircraft will maintain its service life over several decades. We continue to monitor these issues within established regulatory protocols and encourage all employees to speak up when problems arise. Retaliation is strictly prohibited at Boeing.“.
Salehpour’s comments come after another Boeing whistleblower raised concerns about the 787. John Barnett was found dead with a “self-inflicted wound” last month, days after he began file in a court case against Boeing.
Ed Pierson, a former Boeing executive who worked on the narrow-body 737, told Business Insider that he urged Alaska Airlines to ground its planes months before the January eruption.
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