Nancy Koehn: Boeing Should Be Held More Accountable For 737 Crashes

Arjun Singh is a producer for Boston Public Radio. A California native, Arjun moved to Boston to study international relations at Boston University. Prior to working at WGBH, Arjun worked at a tech company and for a political campaign.

November 14, 2019

Updated August 07, 2023

On Monday, aeronautics company Boeing announced that its line of 737 Max jets could be flying as soon as January. The company’s fleet of 737 Max planes was grounded in March after two crashes within the span of five months killed a total of 346 people.

On Thursday, historian Nancy Koehn joined Boston Public Radio to examine the factors that led to both crashes. Koehn said that part of the problem came from malfeasance on Boeing’s part, and that the company may have allowed the planes to be flown with faulty machinery to protect its stock valuation.

“I think the answer is the almighty dollar, and stock buybacks and keeping the stock high,” Koehn said.

Koehn is a historian at the Harvard Business School where she holds the James E. Robison chair of Business Administration. Her latest book is “Forged in Crisis: The Power of Courageous Leadership in Turbulent Times.”