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Boeing has had a brutal year that started with an almost catastrophic incident in January that’s led to waves of scrutiny and a deluge of whistleblowers describing quality concerns. Now, some of the company’s jets have been found to contain counterfeit materials.
Some components supplied to make jets used by Boeing and European rival Airbus have counterfeit titanium that was sold using fake documentation, The New York Times reported Friday. The documents are being investigated by Spirit AeroSystems, a key Boeing supplier who made the fuselage for the 737 Max 9 jet at the heart of the aerospace giant’s recent spate of problems.
In May, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) — which has previously opened a probe into the January incident — began investigating whether records related to Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner had been falsified; Boeing has publicly admitted that it had falsified some records and told the FAA it may have skipped some necessary inspections. The agency is also investigating the impact of the counterfeit materials.
“Boeing reported a voluntary disclosure to the FAA regarding procurement of material through a distributor who may have falsified or provided incorrect records,” the FAA said in a statement, noting that it is investigating the scope and impact of the issue. The agency added that Boeing has issued a bulletin alerting suppliers.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun will testify on Tuesday before a Senate committee regarding the company’s safety problems. Calhoun is stepping down from the company at the end of 2024.
“This industry-wide issue affects some shipments of titanium received by a limited set of suppliers, and tests performed to date have indicated that the correct titanium alloy was used,” Boeing said in a statement. “To ensure compliance, we are removing any affected parts on airplanes prior to delivery.”
The counterfeit titanium was included in components used to make some Boeing and Airbus aircraft between 2019 and 2023, the Times reports. That includes some Boeing 737 Max and 787 Dreamliners, as well as Airbus A220 jets, although it’s unclear how many planes are in service or who operates them.
Boeing said that most of its supply has been unaffected because it buys most of its titanium directly, adding that the issue affects a small number of parts and its in-service fleet can continue to fly safely.
“When [the counterfeited documentation] was identified, all suspect parts were quarantined and removed from Spirit production,” Spirit spokesperson Joe Buccino said. “More than 1,000 tests have been completed to confirm the mechanical and metallurgical properties of the affected material to ensure continued airworthiness.”
A representative for Airbus did not immediately respond to requests for comment.