One hundred and forty-nine passengers and eight crew members were killed March 10, 2019 when their plane, Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, crashed within minutes of takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The plane, a new Boeing 737 MAX 8, was en route to Nairobi, Kenya, and carrying passengers of 35 different nationalities, including 22 U.N. staff members and eight Americans.
The crash was the second in roughly six months involving Boeing’s 737 MAX 8 fleet, one the manufacturer’s latest models. The previous crash, Indonesian Lion Air Flight JT 610, occurred in October 2018 and claimed the lives of 189 passengers and crew members.
Motley Rice Aviation Attorneys Speak Out
“Well, if you don't know why planes are falling out of the sky, what you're doing is betting with passengers' lives and other lives that it won't happen again,” Motley Rice aviation attorney Mary Schiavo told PBS.
Motley Rice aviation attorneys have experience investigating plane disasters involving international commercial airlines, and have represented families of passengers when mechanical failures and other issues that were found to be at fault. For more information, contact attorney Mary Schiavo at 843.216.9138 or mschiavo@motleyrice.com or attorney Jim Brauchle at 843.216.9243 or jbrauchle@motleyrice.com.
Aviation lawyer and CNN transportation analyst Mary Schiavo is a former inspector general for the U.S. Department of Transportation. Aviation attorney James Brauchle is a former U.S. Air Force navigator with years of flying experience. Both provided on-air analysis following the crash.
Below are some of their commentary and analysis since the fatal crash:
CNN (May, 21, 2019) - 737 Max lawsuit suggests parallels to 1990s crashes
The Post & Courier (May 20, 2019) - Lawsuit alleges Boeing knowingly built dangerous 737 Max
CNN Newsroom (April 4, 2019) – Ethiopian Officals: Crew followed all procedures but still could not control Boeing 737 Max 8
"Pilots simply cannot troubleshoot a broken plane and be expected to save it... This report makes it clear this was a Boeing problem and the Boeing fix was inadequate," says @MarySchiavo as the Ethiopian Airlines crash report shows the crew performed all recommended procedures. pic.twitter.com/myUqAtlpuF
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) April 4, 2019
CNNi (March 27, 2019) – Quest Means Business – Senate Grills FAA on Oversight after 737 MAX Crashes
.@MarySchiavo, former inspector general at the U.S. Transportation Dept., says changes being made to the 737 MAX 8 are "too little, too late." "For people who pay lip service and say safety is our number one concern, these are basic notions of aviation safety." pic.twitter.com/hpOsNvwBWz
— Quest Means Business (@questCNN) March 27, 2019
BBC (March 27, 2019) – Boeing Safety Oversight
As Congress examines federal oversight of the US #aviation industry @jim_brauchle of @motleyrice tells @bbcaaron a lot of the problems we're seeing with #Boeing come down to money#Boeing737Max8 #Boeing737Max #avgeeks pic.twitter.com/7AtI4AHh7X
— Jonathan Josephs (@jonathanjosephs) March 27, 2019
CNN (March 26, 2019) – NYT: Simulator Pilots had 40 Seconds to save Boeing 737 MAX
Watch this segment... would YOU feel safe flying on a Boeing 737 Max right now?@AmaraCNN@MarySchiavo pic.twitter.com/ALj2U6NZo5
— Jason K. Morrell (@CNNJason) March 26, 2019
CNN (March 21, 2019) – New Revelations about Lion Air Disaster
#Boeing has developed a new software patch & pilot training program to address problems faced by the #BOEING737MAX8 in the wake of 2 deadly plane crashes. I ask @MarySchiavo if that will be enough & if it'll be approved. pic.twitter.com/V13dqHHyEH
— Rosemary Church (@rosemaryCNN) March 21, 2019
CNN (March 11, 2019) – ‘Grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 8 is in order
CNN (March 11, 2019) – Airlines Ground Boeing 737 MAX 8 Planes after Ethiopia Crash
"Alarms should be and going off all through the aviation industry," says transportation analyst @MarySchiavo on the Ethiopia Airlines crash.
She says the US should ground Boeing 737 MAX 8 planes for now. "Everybody should... Boeing should take the lead." https://t.co/YzBhDBCCUr pic.twitter.com/Bq3nQuAau2— CNN (@CNN) March 11, 2019