Non-compliant aluminium & titanium parts for Boeing spark criminal charges

On Saturday, Italian prosecutors charged seven individuals and two subcontractors with crimes, including fraud and violations of aircraft safety regulations, stemming from an investigation into allegedly defective parts made by an Italian firm for Boeing (BA.N). Investigators discovered that two Italian subcontractors utilised less expensive and non-compliant types of titanium and aluminium to manufacture specific parts, resulting in substantial savings on raw material costs.

1,158 aluminium components

The statement did not disclose the identities of the subcontractors or the seven individuals involved. According to prosecutors, aerospace experts confirmed the existence of at least 4,829 non-compliant titanium components and 1,158 aluminium components. The investigation began in late 2021 after Boeing reported that certain components for its 787 Dreamliner aircraft, supplied by a company affiliated with the Italian aerospace group Leonardo (LDOF.MI), were improperly manufactured.

"This resulted in the realisation of airplane parts with significantly lower static and stress resistance characteristics, with repercussions on aviation safety," the prosecutors in the southern city of Brindisi said.

Two sources familiar with the situation informed Reuters that the former Leonardo supplier Manufacturing Process Specification (MPS) and its now-defunct predecessor, Processi Speciali, are at the centre of the investigation. Antonio Ingrosso, the owner of MPS, and his father, Vincenzo, who led Processi Speciali, are among the seven individuals implicated in the probe.

"The expert work and investigations concluded that some non-compliant structural components could, in the long run, create harm to the safety of the aircraft, requiring the U.S. company to initiate an extraordinary maintenance campaign of the aircraft involved," they said.

Their lawyer said both men are convinced they have fully complied with the law. The seven individuals and two subcontractors will now have the opportunity to present any new evidence in their defence before prosecutors decide whether to request a judge to initiate a trial.