Under the terms of the 2021 deal, Boeing was placed on a three-year probationary period, which ended days after the January door plug incident.

The agency cites instances in which the company’s automated-driving system appeared to disobey traffic-control devices.

Paredes further alleged that it was "just a matter of time before something bad happened," referencing a blown-out door plug aboard a 737 Max 9 in January.

Sales and operations execution (S&OE) plays a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth flow of products from manufacturing to the end consumer.

An internal Boeing memo said that “several people had been violating company policies by not performing a required test, but recording the work as having been completed.”

This stemmed from guarantees Boeing made to regulators in 2015 and 2021 after a pair of enforcement actions related to violations of safety protocols. 

Editor's Letter: When it comes to “social sustainability,” or human rights, much of the corporate world is still unprepared for the regulations and legislation that they’ll be encountering.