By Francesca Landini
Italian prosecutors have accused seven individuals and two sub-contractors of various crimes, including fraud and breaching airplane safety regulations. This follows an investigation into suspected faulty parts produced by an Italian company for Boeing.
The investigation was initiated in late 2021 after Boeing revealed that certain parts for its 787 Dreamliner plane, supplied by a company working for Italian aerospace group Leonardo, were improperly manufactured.
The prosecutors discovered that two Italian sub-contractors utilized cheaper and non-compliant forms of titanium and aluminum to manufacture certain parts, resulting in significant cost savings on raw materials. This led to the production of airplane parts with lower static and stress resistance characteristics, posing risks to aviation safety.
Antonio Ingrosso, the owner of MPS, and his father Vincenzo, who headed Processi Speciali, were among the individuals implicated in the probe. Both maintain that they have followed the law, according to their lawyer.
The accused parties will have the opportunity to present any new evidence in their defense before the prosecutors decide whether to pursue a trial.
Experts working with the prosecutors identified thousands of non-compliant components made of titanium and aluminum, which could potentially jeopardize aircraft safety in the long run. As a result, Boeing initiated an extensive maintenance campaign for the affected aircraft. Both Boeing and Leonardo were considered victims of the alleged crimes and cooperated with the investigation.
Leonardo and Boeing have chosen not to provide comments on the matter.
