Boeing's troubled era has dimmed the prospects of a preeminent American manufacturer

Key Points

• First fatal 787 crash: A London-bound Air India Boeing 787-8 carrying more than 240 people crashed into a residential area shortly after takeoff, killing all on board and marking the Dreamliner’s first deadly accident.
• 737 Max disasters and groundings: Two 737 Max 8 crashes in October 2018 and March 2019—linked to the undisclosed MCAS flight-control system—prompted a global grounding of the fleet and triggered a long decline in Boeing’s share price.
• Legal and leadership fallout: Boeing ousted two CEOs, pleaded guilty to defrauding U.S. regulators over the Max program, and has paid more than $3 billion in settlements, including a $2.5 billion DOJ agreement and a $1.1 billion deal to avoid criminal prosecution.
• Ongoing safety and labor challenges: Despite corrective measures, Boeing faces persistent safety concerns—such as a cockpit panel detachment and a scathing external report on its safety culture—and a 2024 strike by 33,000 factory workers that cut into production.

A London-bound Air India plane carrying more than 240 people crashed shortly after takeoff Thursday. Authorities said there were no known survivors.

It was not immediately clear why Air India flight 171, a Boeing 787-8, crashed into a residential area five minutes after taking off.

Boeing said it was aware of the reports of the crash and was “working to gather more information.”

It was the first fatal crash of a Boeing 787, a widebody, twin-engine plane known as the Dreamliner. But it's the latest in a string of troubles for Boeing, most of them tied to the 737 Max, a different plane.

Here is a timeline of key events for Boeing in recent years:

December 2009: The 787 Dreamliner makes its first flight, taking off from Paine Field in Everett, Washington.

January 2013: 787s worldwide are grounded nearly three weeks after lithium ion batteries that are part of the planes led to a fire in one plane and smoke in a second.

August 2015: The first 737 Max plane rolls off the production line and within a year are undergoing flight tests.

Oct. 29, 2018: Lion Air Flight 610, a Boeing 737 Max 8, plunges into the Java Sea off the coast of Indonesia minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, killing all 189 people on board. Questions arise over a new Boeing flight-control system called MCAS that Boeing did not disclose to pilots and airlines. Indonesian investigators say the Flight 610 pilots struggled for control as the automated system pushed the nose of the plane down more than two dozen times.

March 1, 2019: Wall Street remains enamored with Boeing as commercial aircraft orders rocket. Shares of Boeing Co. close at an all-time high of $430.35.

March 10, 2019: Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, a Boeing 737 Max 8, crashes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing 157 passengers and crew members. Shares of Boeing begin a long, downward slide and have yet to recover.

March 2019: Within days of the second crash, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and regulators in nations around the world order the grounding of all 737 Max jets.

Dec. 23, 2019: Boeing ousts CEO Dennis Muilenburg, who was seen as pressuring the FAA to lift the Max grounding order.

Jan. 7, 2021: U.S. Justice Department charges Boeing with fraud but won't prosecute the company for misleading regulators about the 737 Max if it pays a $2.5 billion settlement.

Jan. 5, 2024: A panel covering an unused emergency exit blows off a 737 Max 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight. Pilots land the plane safely.

Feb. 26, 2024: A panel of outside experts, convened after the two deadly crashes, reports Boeing’s safety culture falls short despite the company’s efforts to fix it.

March 11, 2024: A LATAM Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flight between Australia and New Zealand suddenly plunges, injuring 50 people. Boeing tells airlines to inspect switches on pilots’ seats after a published report said an accidental cockpit seat movement likely cause the rapid loss of altitude.

March 25, 2024: Dave Calhoun, who replaced Muilenburg, says he will step down as CEO by year-end as part of a broader shakeup of Boeing leadership.

July 7, 2024: Boeing agrees to plead guilty to conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government for misleading regulators who approved pilot-training standards for the Max.

July 31, 2024: Boeing names Kelly Ortberg as its new chief executive. Ortberg is a trained engineer and was CEO of aerospace supplier Rockwell Collins for eight years. Many see his appointment as an attempt by Boeing to get back to its roots.

Sept 13, 2024: About 33,000 Boeing factory workers walk off the job in a strike that will cripple production at one of the preeminent manufacturers in the U.S. for almost two months. It is the first labor action taken against the company in 16 years.

May 23, 2025: The Justice Department reaches a deal with Boeing that takes criminal prosecution off the table for allegedly misleading regulators about the 737 Max jetliner before the two fatal planes crashes. Boeing agreed to pay or invest more than $1.1 billion, including an additional $445 million for crash victims’ families, removing the risk of a criminal conviction that would have jeopardized the company’s status as a federal contractor.