The Federal Aviation Administration has opened a new investigation into Boeing after the plane maker told the regulator that it might have skipped required inspections involving the wings of some 787 Dreamliners.
In a statement on Monday, the F.A.A. said that it learned about the issue from Boeing last month. As part of its inquiry, the agency said it was looking into whether employees at the company may have falsified aircraft records.
The F.A.A. said that Boeing was reinspecting all Dreamliners still in production and that the company needed to create a plan to address aircraft already in service.
“As the investigation continues, the F.A.A. will take any necessary action — as always — to ensure the safety of the flying public,” the statement said.
Boeing did not comment on the agency’s statement, but the company shared an email about the issue that an executive sent last week to employees in South Carolina, where it makes the Dreamliner. In that message, the executive said Boeing had determined that there was no immediate flight safety risk.
The inquiry adds to the scrutiny that Boeing has faced since a door panel blew off a 737 Max while in flight in January, bruising the company’s reputation and drawing attention from federal regulators. The F.A.A. began a separate investigation after that incident, which occurred during an Alaska Airlines flight, and the Justice Department opened a criminal inquiry.
