Families of plane crash victims urge Fort Worth judge to reject deal for Boeing
At stake in the pending ruling of a U.S. district judge in Fort Worth is the prospect of hundreds of millions of dollars in criminal fines against aerospace corporation Boeing in connection with its improper development of an aircraft part that led to two 737 Max 8 crashes.
Relatives of victims of a Boeing 737 Max 8 crash in October 2018 into a southeast Asian sea and in March 2019 into an Ethiopian field recounted their grief to Judge Reed O’Connor on Wednesday. They requested the judge reject an agreement the U.S. Department of Justice reached with Boeing not to prosecute the company for fraud. The family members also asked Judge O’Connor to appoint a special prosecutor.
The 189 passengers and crew on board the first flight, Lion Air 610, died. In the second flight, Ethiopian Airlines 302, all 157 passengers and crew on board died.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Tonolli argued that the government is acting in the public interest and is within in its prosecutorial discretion. Tonolli encouraged O’Connor to grant the government’s motion to dismiss.
The case is being considered in Fort Worth because Boeing’s airline customers include major U.S.-based airlines headquartered in the Northern District of Texas.
Many of the relatives hold the view that the plane crash victims were the human cost in what they allege was a Boeing calculation that passenger safety was inferior to its financial interests and that federal prosecutors have failed to pursue accountability.
Boeing previously admitted that two of its 737 MAX flight technical pilots deceived the Federal Aviation Administration’s aircraft evaluation group about an aircraft part known as MCAS that affected the flight control system of the Boeing 737 MAX. Because of the deception, a key document published by the FAA lacked information about the part, and in turn, airplane manuals and pilot-training materials for U.S.-based airlines lacked information about it, the Department of Justice has said.
In November 2016, two of Boeing’s 737 MAX flight technical pilots discovered information about an important change to the control system part. Rather than sharing information about the change with the FAA, Boeing concealed the information and deceived the FAA about the part.
In January 2021, the DOJ charged Boeing with conspiracy to defraud the FAA and reached a deferred prosecution agreement with Boeing.
In May 2024, the DOJ found that Boeing had breached the agreement by failing to implement appropriate corporate compliance and safety measures. In July 2024, the DOJ and Boeing reached a plea agreement that O’Connor rejected.
A new non-prosecution agreement requires Boeing to pay an additional $243.6 million as a penalty, pay an additional $444.5 million to the families and make additional investments in safety. In exchange, the DOJ agreed to seek the dismissal of the fraud charge against Boeing.
Naoise Connolly Ryan of Ireland on Wednesday described to Judge O’Connor her 7-year-old son’s interest in superheroes, particularly Superman.
The boy’s father, Mick Ryan, was traveling in Africa when he died he in the Ethiopian Airlines 302 crash.
“Without accountibility there is no justice,” Connolly Ryan said.
It is not clear when O’Connor will issue a decision.
This story was originally published September 3, 2025 at 7:30 PM.
