Boeing to Avoid Guilty Plea With DOJ Over 737 Max Crashes

Boeing reached a deal with the Justice Department on Friday that would spare the company from taking criminal responsibility for a pair of deadly 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019.

Under the deal, which was staunchly opposed by many families of the victims of the fatal crashes, Boeing would admit to obstructing federal oversight, pay a fine, contribute to a fund for the families and invest in safety and quality programs.

The deal is the latest twist in a yearslong legal saga over the crashes, dating back to the final days of the first Trump administration. It reverses a different deal reached last summer, in which Boeing had agreed with the Justice Department under President Joseph R. Biden Jr. to plead guilty to a felony charge of conspiring to defraud the Federal Aviation Administration.

The judge overseeing the case had asked the parties to revise the deal in December, criticizing the process the agreement had laid out for the selection of an independent monitor who would make sure that Boeing was abiding by the deal. Boeing’s admission in the new agreement that it obstructed the F.A.A. would not constitute a guilty plea.

“Ultimately, in applying the facts, the law and department policy, we are confident that this resolution is the most just outcome with practical benefits,” the Justice Department said in a statement. “Nothing will diminish the victims’ losses, but this resolution holds Boeing financially accountable, provides finality and compensation for the families and makes an impact for the safety of future air travelers.”

The Justice Department floated the possibility of such a deal in a call with the families of victims of the crashes last week, and their lawyers dismissed it as a miscarriage of justice. Boeing declined to comment on the new agreement, which would still need approval of the judge overseeing the case.