Family members of those who died aboard the second crash of a Boeing 737 MAX issued the following comments on the test flight being conducted today by FAA Administrator Steve Dickson:
Michael Stumo, father of Samya Rose Stumo who was among the 157 people killed in the second crash of a Boeing aircraft last year: “A better approach to safety is for the FAA and Boeing to provide the technical descriptions and test data that they are relying upon, but keeping secret, as they aim to unground the 737 MAX. Without that secret data, independent experts and the public cannot confirm whether the aircraft is safe.”
Zipporah Kuria of the UK, who lost her father Joseph Waithaka in the second crash: “This test flight is a gimmick. It’s nothing but a clown in a suit to reassure the public that everything is fine. Just because Ronald McDonald eats a burger in a McDonald’s ad doesn’t make it healthy. So just because Dickson flies in a 737 Max8 doesn’t make it safe. It’s clearly a PR stunt for the FAA and a free endorsement for Boeing.”
Separately, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today approved a comprehensive bill dealing with the aftermath of two Boeing aircraft crashes following 18 months of hearings. Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) said in his introductory remarks of H.R. 8408, the “Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act” that those killed did not die in vain.
Stumo, who was among those in attendance in Washington, D.C., said, “My family feels indebted to Chairman DeFazio and his team, as well as Chairman Rick Larsen (D-WA), for this excellent legislation. We appreciate that Ranking Members Sam Graves (R-MO) and Garrett Graves (R-LA) also supported this legislation. The Democrats and Republicans on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee have screened out the partisan rancor to help fix the undue influence, the concealment and the profiteering that gave rise to the Boeing 737 MAX 8. At the very least, something good can come out of the crashes that killed my daughter Samya and 345 others.”
Kuria watched today’s hearing on a live stream and said, “I am extremely grateful that this bill has passed the first stage toward becoming law in the United States. We are grateful for the work of Chairman DeFazio and the rest of the committee that they put into this bill that will hold the aviation manufacturing industry accountable.”
Robert A. Clifford, founder and senior partner, Clifford Law Offices and Lead Counsel in litigation pending in federal district court in Chicago regarding the crash of the Boeing 737 Max jet in Ethiopia, said, “This bipartisan bill should make the flying public feel safer. The House moved for the last 18 months with a particular obligation to the 346 families who lost loved ones in the two Boeing 737 Max crashes. Led by Chairman DeFazio, a number of disturbing findings were uncovered in several hearings regarding the certification process and the 737 Max plane itself that necessitated this comprehensive legislation. As this bill moves through the legislative process, we hope that the language continues to be strengthened to protect the safety and rights of all aircraft passengers, while holding Boeing truly accountable.”
A lengthy report was recently released by the House Transportation Committee regarding the Boeing Max 737 that killed 346 people in two crashes within five months. It detailed in 200+ pages a host of findings regarding Boeing’s mistakes and the FAA’s deficiencies regarding the certification of this aircraft.
Many family members have been petitioning Congress to “Axe the Max,” stating that the plane could never be made safe because of serious design flaws. A petition initiated by Kuria can be found here.
Kuria also created two YouTube videos on the loss of her father in the crash:
For further information, please contact Clifford Law Offices Communications Partner Pamela Sakowicz Menaker at 847-721-0909 (cell).