| Recurring |
one_organization, multiple_organization |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Boeing 737 Max fleet involved a potential electrical problem that grounded a portion of the fleet. This incident is separate from the 2019 grounding directive after the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Boeing had to propose fixes to the electrical issue, and the Federal Aviation Administration approved these fixes, allowing the affected airlines to return the jets to service [114062].
(b) The software failure incident with the Boeing 737 Max fleet affected multiple organizations globally, as the electrical issue impacted 109 planes, which is more than a fifth of the 737 Max fleet. The issue was not limited to a single airline or country, indicating a widespread impact on various airlines operating the 737 Max aircraft [114062]. |
| Phase (Design/Operation) |
design, operation |
(a) The software failure incident related to the design phase is evident in the article as it mentions an "electrical problem with the Max" that led to the grounding of some Boeing 737 Max planes. The issue was specifically related to design changes in the Max's flight deck, resulting in "insufficient electrical grounding of installed equipment" which could have led to the loss of critical functions and other problems on the flight deck [114062].
(b) The software failure incident related to the operation phase is also highlighted in the article when it mentions that the electrical power systems on a new 737 Max 8 airplane "did not perform as expected" during routine tests before delivery to an airline. This indicates a failure during the operation or testing phase of the system [114062]. |
| Boundary (Internal/External) |
within_system |
(a) within_system: The software failure incident related to the electrical problem with Boeing's 737 Max fleet was within the system. The issue was specifically related to design changes in the Max's flight deck that resulted in insufficient electrical grounding of installed equipment, leading to potential loss of critical functions and other problems on the flight deck [114062]. |
| Nature (Human/Non-human) |
non-human_actions, human_actions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the electrical problem in Boeing's 737 Max fleet was primarily due to non-human actions. The issue was related to design changes in the Max's flight deck that resulted in insufficient electrical grounding of installed equipment, leading to a potential loss of critical functions and other problems on the flight deck [114062].
(b) However, human actions were also involved in the aftermath of the software failure incident. Boeing and the F.A.A. had to work together to propose fixes, issue directives, and approve modifications to address the electrical problem in the 737 Max fleet. Additionally, the legal settlement with the Justice Department highlighted human actions that withheld information from the F.A.A. about changes made to software implicated in the crashes [114062]. |
| Dimension (Hardware/Software) |
hardware |
(a) The software failure incident related to hardware:
- The article mentions an electrical problem with the Boeing 737 Max fleet, specifically related to insufficient electrical grounding of installed equipment due to design changes in the Max's flight deck [114062].
- The electrical issue affected certain models of the 737 Max 8 and the 737 Max 9, leading to potential loss of critical functions and other problems on the flight deck [114062].
(b) The software failure incident related to software:
- The article discusses how Boeing and airlines updated the Max's flight control software as part of the changes required for the fleet to fly again after the grounding following the crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia [114062].
- The software failure incident is not directly attributed to software issues but rather to an electrical problem that required modifications to the electrical wiring and flight control software of the 737 Max fleet [114062]. |
| Objective (Malicious/Non-malicious) |
non-malicious |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Boeing 737 Max fleet was non-malicious. The incident involved an electrical problem that was identified during routine tests before delivery to an airline. The issue was related to design changes in the flight deck that resulted in insufficient electrical grounding of installed equipment, potentially leading to the loss of critical functions and other problems on the flight deck [114062]. |
| Intent (Poor/Accidental Decisions) |
poor_decisions, accidental_decisions |
(a) The software failure incident related to the Boeing 737 Max fleet was primarily due to poor decisions made by Boeing. The article mentions that the 737 Max plane was initially grounded in March 2019 after a pair of crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia, which led to the grounding directive by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The crashes were attributed to issues with the Max's flight control software and other changes made by Boeing. Additionally, the article highlights that Boeing later notified airlines of a potential electrical problem with the Max, which was unrelated to the 2019 grounding directive. This indicates that the software failure incident was a result of poor decisions made during the design and implementation of the aircraft's systems [114062].
(b) The software failure incident can also be attributed to accidental decisions or mistakes made during the design and manufacturing process. The article mentions that the electrical issue on the new 737 Max 8 airplane was related to design changes that resulted in insufficient electrical grounding of installed equipment. This design flaw led to a potential loss of critical functions and other problems on the flight deck, indicating that the incident was a result of unintended decisions or mistakes made during the development of the aircraft's systems [114062]. |
| Capability (Incompetence/Accidental) |
development_incompetence |
(a) The software failure incident related to development incompetence is evident in the article as it mentions the 2019 crashes aboard the 737 Max that killed 346 people and deeply damaged Boeing’s reputation. This incident was attributed to the actions of two employees who withheld information from the F.A.A. about changes made to software that was later implicated in both crashes [114062].
(b) The accidental software failure incident is highlighted in the article when it discusses the electrical problem that grounded a portion of Boeing's 737 Max fleet. The article mentions that the latest electrical issue was unrelated to the 2019 grounding directive and was due to design changes that resulted in insufficient electrical grounding of installed equipment, potentially leading to the loss of critical functions and other problems on the flight deck [114062]. |
| Duration |
temporary |
(a) The software failure incident in this case was temporary. Boeing had to ground a portion of its 737 Max fleet due to a potential electrical problem, which was not a permanent issue but rather a specific circumstance affecting certain models of the 737 Max 8 and 737 Max 9 planes. The problem was related to design changes in the flight deck that resulted in insufficient electrical grounding of installed equipment, potentially leading to the loss of critical functions and other problems on the flight deck [114062]. |
| Behaviour |
crash, other |
(a) crash: The software failure incident related to the Boeing 737 Max fleet involved an electrical problem that could have resulted in loss of critical functions and other problems on the flight deck, potentially leading to a crash [114062].
(b) omission: The software failure incident did not specifically mention any instances of the system omitting to perform its intended functions at a particular instance.
(c) timing: The software failure incident did not involve the system performing its intended functions too late or too early.
(d) value: The software failure incident did not mention the system performing its intended functions incorrectly.
(e) byzantine: The software failure incident did not involve the system behaving erroneously with inconsistent responses and interactions.
(f) other: The software failure incident involved a potential electrical problem with the Boeing 737 Max fleet, leading to a grounding of a portion of the fleet and the need for proposed fixes to address the issue [114062]. |