Ethics in the Grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX

Abstract

This critical incident describes a situation in which two airplanes crashed within five months of each other in, respectively, the Java Sea and Ethiopia. Both crashes involved the Boeing MAX jets, which were known for their fuel efficiency. While many countries around the world grounded the MAX jets on the day of the Ethiopian crash or the day after, the US and Canada maintained that they were safe. Boeing had manufactured the MAX jets based on earlier models and had installed a software called MCAS, which overrode pilot manual controls. The US Federal Aviation Authority a regulatory body that is responsible for civil aviation safety, grounded the MAX jets four days after the Ethiopian crash.