Exclusive: Boeing whistleblower details concerns over 787 jets

LEAD TO CATASTROPHE IF IT'S NOT ADDRESSED. BOEING SAYS IT'S INACCURATE AND FALSE. IT IS ONE OF BOEING'S BEST-SELLING AIRCRAFTS, TRANCE OVER THE PAST 12 AND A HALF YEARS. HE'S CONCERNED THE DREAM LINER MAY HAVE A DANGEROUS FLU. >> RIGHT NOW, TO ME, I SEE WE HAVE REAL PROBLEM ON OUR HANDS. >> Reporter: 15-YEAR BOEING ENGINEER SAM SAYS THE GAPS BETWEEN THE BIG PIECES OF THE FUSELAGE ARE TOO BIG. AND EVEN THOUGH THE FUSELAGE PIECES ARE FASTENED TOGETHER, IT COULD LEAD TO FAILURE AND DISASTER. >> THEN THE PLANE CAN BREAK APART IN ALTITUDE AND DROP TO THE GROUND. I THINK THAT'S A SAFETY ISSUE. >> Reporter: YOU REALLY THINK THAT'S WHAT'S AT STAKE HERE. >> THAT'S EXACTLY AT STAKE HERE. I THINK FAILURE HAS NO MERCY ON ANYBODY. >> Reporter: BUT BOEING IS PUSHING BACK HARD TELLING NBC NEWS WE ARE FULLY CONFIDENT BECAUSE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE WORK DONE. THESE CLAIMS ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE 737 ARE INACCURATE. SINCE 2020, BOEING HAS BEEN UNDER FAA SUPERVISION AS A TIGHT, PAPER THIN GAPS. STRESS TESTING THE PLANE THROUGH 165 TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS, MORE THAN THREE TIMES A TYPICAL 878s LIFE SPAN. 689 HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH VARIOUS INSPECTIONS. SO FAR ZERO EVIDENCE OF FATIGUE. >> THIS WHISTLEBLOWER'S CONCERN, WHILE I'M SURE ARE VERY SINCERE, I DON'T THINK MATCHING WHAT BOEING IS SAYING IS HAPPENING OUT IN THE FLEET. >> Reporter: HE ADMITS HE DOESN'T HAVE FULL ACCESS TO ALL OF BOEING'S DATA SINCE HE MOVED OFF OF THE 787 PROJECT. BOEING SAYS IT DOES NOT TOLERATE RETALIATION. WOULD YOU PUT YOUR FAMILY ON A 787 RIGHT NOW? >> I WOULD NOT. >> Reporter: BOEING WILL BE IN THE CROSS HAIRS TODAY AFTER TWO CRASHES OVERSEAS, THE BLOW DOOR OUTAND ADMITTED QUALITY CONTROL LAPSES AT BOEING. IF WE HAVE ANOTHER CRASH, I AM NOT SURE THAT BOEING CAN SURVIVE THAT OR NOT. AND THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO PREVENT. >> Reporter: HE TELLS ME HE IS COMING FORWARD NOW BECAUSE HE HAS TRIED FOR THREE YEARS TO BRING THESE ISSUES UP INTERNALLY WITHIN BOEING BUT SAYS HE GOT NOWHERE, NOBODY WAS LISTENING TO HIM. SO HE WILL TELL HIS STORY TODAY TO CONGRESS. THE FAA SAYS IT IS ALSO INVESTIGATING. TO REITERATE, BOEING INSISTS

Channel: TODAY

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Id: OtiAI0C5cO4

Length: 3min 2sec (182 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 17 2024