Boeing 737 MAX
The Boeing 737 MAX case centers on the ethical responsibilities of engineers when public safety conflicts with organizational decisions. After a Lion Air 737 MAX jet crashed in 2018, FAA engineer Joe Jacobsen quickly concluded that the aircraft had a serious design flaw, namely a faulty angle-of-attack sensor that triggered the aircraft’s anti-stall system. Mr. Jacobsen urged his managers to ground all 737 MAX jets, but his concerns were dismissed and he chose not to escalate the issue beyond internal channels. Months later, a second 737 MAX crash killed 157 more people, bringing the total death toll to 346. The central question of this case is whether Jacobsen had a moral obligation to do more—such as contacting higher authorities, regulators, politicians, or the media (whistleblowing)—after his professional judgement was overruled by management. This case highlights the tension between an engineer’s duty of loyalty to employers and institutions and the professional obligation to protect public safety when many lives may be at risk.