- Another whistleblower has come forward with complaints of Boeing’s safety lapses.
- Richard Cuevas said that he saw holes drilled improperly, which could lead to “catastrophe.”
- The airplane mechanic said he was fired from his job shortly after raising concerns.
Another Boeing whistleblower has come forward, saying that he witnessed 787 Dreamliner planes being built in a manner that could lead to a “catastrophe down the line.”
Richard Cuevas was a Strom airplane mechanic who used to work as a contractor for Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems. He said that in 2023, he witnessed substandard manufacturing of the 787 planes’ forward pressure bulkheads, which help maintain air pressure.
In a complaint filed by his lawyers on Tuesday to the Federal Aviation Administration, Cuevas said Spirit AeroSystems workers were drilling holes into the fasteners of the plane’s forward pressure bulkhead, which were bigger than what Boeing had specified.
They did this to “clear excess paint from the holes and speed up a slow process,” per the complaint. Cuevas said that the faults could lead to a loss of air pressure in the flight and run the risk of power failure.