“Because it’s the most widely used jetliner, when there are unanswered questions about it and groundings, it can have a huge ripple effect in the confidence of the aviation system,” said Bill Adair, author of “The Mystery of Flight 427,” a book about a 737 crash in 1994. “But it’s important not to jump to conclusions, and it’s awfully early to be grounding airplanes.”
Boeing has faced periods of scrutiny in the past. A series of 737 crashes in the 1980s and 1990s prompted concerns about the plane’s safety, though Boeing kept producing and selling them.
In the last decade, Boeing faced a crisis when lithium-ion batteries in the 787 Dreamliner were catching fire. To address that problem, Boeing assembled a team of experts from around the company, many of whom hadn’t initially worked on the 787.
“It was a total mobilization, they had hundreds of people working on it,” said John Hall, a former Boeing engineer who was part of the effort. “This is a far more difficult call. It’s not clear that there’s anything wrong with the airplane. They’ve had two crashes now, but they don’t know the cause.”
On Sunday, Boeing dispatched a so-called technical assistance team — a group of several engineers and experts based in the United States — to assist with the investigation in Ethiopia.
The company communicated with the 59 carriers that use the 737 Max 8 and 9 models, and Mr. Muilenburg, the Boeing chief, kept his board updated on developments.
Late Monday, Mr. Muilenburg sent an email to employees with an update on the situation.
“I know this tragedy is especially challenging coming only months after the loss of Lion Air Flight 610,” he wrote, according to a copy of the email reviewed by The New York Times. “While difficult, I encourage everyone to stay focused on the important work we do.”
