Italian prosecutors have charged seven individuals and two sub-contractors with fraud and violating airplane safety regulations after an investigation into faulty parts manufactured for Boeing. The probe, launched in late 2021, revealed that some components for Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner, produced by companies working for Italian aerospace group Leonardo, had been improperly made.
The investigation found that two Italian sub-contractors used lower-quality, non-compliant titanium and aluminum to produce certain parts, significantly reducing costs. These substandard materials, however, compromised the components’ static and stress resistance, posing a potential risk to aviation safety, according to the prosecutors in Brindisi.
Sources identified the firms involved as Manufacturing Process Specification (MPS) and its bankrupt predecessor Processi Speciali. MPS owner Antonio Ingrosso and his father Vincenzo, who led Processi Speciali, are among those under investigation. Their lawyer maintains they acted within legal bounds.
Prosecutors noted that aerospace experts confirmed the production of at least 4,829 non-compliant titanium parts and 1,158 aluminum components. They warned that these faulty parts could compromise aircraft safety over time, necessitating extraordinary maintenance measures. Boeing and Leonardo, identified as victims of the alleged crimes, cooperated fully with the investigation.
Both companies declined to comment on the matter. The accused parties have an opportunity to present additional evidence before a potential trial.
