Engineering Ethics and the 737 MAX Crashes
The crashes of two Boeing 737 MAX passenger jets in late 2018 and early 2019 thrust the engineering and safety practices of one of the world’s leading aerospace companies into the global spotlight. As investigations uncovered the complex web of technical, organizational, and regulatory factors that contributed to these tragic incidents, a critical examination of the ethical responsibilities of engineers involved in the 737 MAX’s design and certification process emerged.
Technological Challenges and the Pursuit of Competitiveness
In the early 2010s, Boeing faced a significant engineering challenge. Its workhorse 737 aircraft, first introduced in the 1960s, needed to be updated to compete with Airbus’ new A320neo family, which featured larger and more fuel-efficient engines. Rather than designing an entirely new aircraft, Boeing opted to modify the existing 737 design, resulting in the 737 MAX.
The repositioning of the 737 MAX’s engines to improve fuel efficiency, however, had unintended aerodynamic consequences. The larger engines mounted higher and farther forward on the wings changed the aircraft’s handling characteristics, increasing the risk of a dangerous nose-up stall condition under certain flight scenarios.
To address this issue, Boeing implemented a new flight control system, the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), which was designed to automatically push the aircraft’s nose down to prevent stalls. This software-based “fix” for a hardware design problem would prove to be a crucial factor in the subsequent crashes.
The Tragic Consequences of Engineering Decisions
On October 29, 2018, Lion Air flight JT610 crashed into the Java Sea 13 minutes after takeoff, killing all 189 passengers and crew on board. Subsequent investigations revealed that MCAS had repeatedly forced the aircraft’s nose down, overwhelming the pilots’ efforts to regain control.
Just months later, on March 20, 2019, Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 crashed 6 minutes after takeoff, resulting in the deaths of all 157 people on board. Once again, MCAS was identified as a primary factor in the accident.
These incidents exposed a series of engineering decisions and organizational failures that had profound ethical implications:
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Reliance on a single Angle of Attack (AOA) sensor: Boeing’s design of MCAS to rely on input from only one of the aircraft’s two AOA sensors, rather than using data from both sensors, created a single point of failure that proved catastrophic when the sensor malfunctioned.
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Lack of transparency and pilot training: Boeing did not adequately inform pilots about the existence and functioning of MCAS, nor did it require simulator training on the new system. This deprived pilots of critical knowledge and skills needed to respond effectively when MCAS malfunctioned.
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Prioritizing cost and schedule over safety: Evidence suggests that Boeing management rejected design changes that could have improved the 737 MAX’s safety, as they would have delayed certification or required additional pilot training, which could have impacted the company’s ability to compete with Airbus.
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Flaws in the certification process: The close working relationship between Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), combined with the FAA’s increasing reliance on manufacturer self-certification, allowed critical safety issues with MCAS to be overlooked during the 737 MAX’s certification.
Engineering Ethics and the “Problem of Many Hands”
The Boeing 737 MAX case highlights the complex ethical challenges faced by engineers working in large, complex organizations. While individual engineers may have raised concerns about the aircraft’s design, the ultimate responsibility for the crashes lies with a web of decisions made by various teams and departments within Boeing, as well as the regulatory oversight provided by the FAA.
This “problem of many hands” makes it difficult to assign clear moral culpability, as the individual decisions that contributed to the final outcome may have been relatively benign or made with limited knowledge of the broader implications. However, the fundamental engineering decisions regarding the 737 MAX’s design and the lack of transparency about MCAS were so clearly misguided that a competent engineer should have recognized the potential consequences.
Strengthening Engineering Ethics and Moral Courage
The Boeing 737 MAX case serves as a sobering reminder of the paramount ethical responsibility that engineers have to prioritize public safety and welfare, even in the face of organizational pressures and constraints. While engineering codes of ethics are plentiful, they often lack enforcement mechanisms, and engineers may struggle to uphold their ethical commitments in the face of conflicting priorities.
To address this challenge, several key actions are needed:
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Empowering engineers within organizations: Corporations must create stronger internal processes to listen to and respond to the ethical concerns raised by engineers, even when those concerns conflict with business objectives.
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Enhancing the role of professional engineering societies: These organizations should play a more active role in enforcing ethical standards, supporting whistleblowers, and providing educational opportunities to foster moral courage among engineers.
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Prioritizing ethics in engineering education: Engineering curricula and professional development programs must place a greater emphasis on teaching ethical decision-making, nurturing moral courage, and preparing future engineers to navigate the complex ethical challenges they will face in their careers.
The Boeing 737 MAX tragedy was a preventable disaster, the result of engineering decisions that prioritized cost, schedule, and competitiveness over the fundamental ethical obligation to protect the public. By learning from this case and implementing meaningful changes, the engineering profession can work to ensure that such failures never happen again.
Lessons Learned and the Path Forward
The Boeing 737 MAX case offers several key lessons for the engineering community:
Upholding the Paramount Duty to Protect Public Safety
The primary ethical responsibility of engineers, as clearly stated in professional codes of ethics, is to prioritize the safety, health, and welfare of the public. This duty must take precedence over organizational pressures, financial considerations, or competitive concerns.
Addressing the “Problem of Many Hands”
The complexity of large-scale engineering projects, involving numerous individuals and teams, can make it challenging to assign clear moral responsibility. However, engineers must be vigilant in identifying and addressing ethical issues, even when they did not directly cause the problem.
Empowering Engineers to Raise Ethical Concerns
Corporations must foster a culture that encourages and empowers engineers to voice their ethical concerns without fear of repercussions. Strong internal processes, including anonymous complaint channels and effective response mechanisms, are essential.
Strengthening the Role of Professional Engineering Societies
Professional engineering societies can play a more active role in enforcing ethical standards, supporting whistleblowers, and providing educational resources to help engineers develop moral courage and navigate complex ethical dilemmas.
Integrating Ethics into Engineering Education
Engineering curricula and professional development programs must place a greater emphasis on teaching ethical decision-making, fostering moral courage, and preparing future engineers to uphold their ethical responsibilities in the face of organizational pressures.
By implementing these changes, the engineering profession can work to prevent future tragedies like the Boeing 737 MAX crashes and uphold the fundamental ethical principles that are the foundation of the field.
Conclusion
The Boeing 737 MAX case serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of engineering ethics and the need for a renewed commitment to prioritizing public safety and welfare. While the specific details of this case are still unfolding, the lessons learned can and must be applied to strengthen the ethical foundation of the engineering profession.
By empowering engineers, enhancing the role of professional societies, and integrating ethics more deeply into engineering education, the industry can work to ensure that the tragic consequences of the 737 MAX crashes are never repeated. Only then can the engineering community fully live up to its ethical obligations and continue to serve as a driving force for technological progress and societal advancement.
