60 Minutes: May 5

Tonight on 60 Minutes Liz Hayes fronts a special investigation into Boeing following recent aviation failures.

“Fatal Flaw”
When aircraft manufacturer Boeing announced its brand-new passenger jet, the 737 MAX, it thought it was onto another winner. Airlines around the world – including Australia – ordered thousands. But Boeing was wrong, and the plane has turned out to be a catastrophic failure. In the last six months two of the jets have crashed and 346 people have been killed. In a special edition of 60 MINUTES, Liz Hayes reconstructs the final horrific moments of both Lion Air flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines flight 302. In startling interviews with 737 pilots, aircraft engineers and a former Boeing insider, Hayes investigates the fatal flaw of the 737 MAX, and questions not only why Boeing designed a plane with the ability to override the control of the pilots, but also why the company didn’t tell the airlines buying the planes it was doing this. Boeing says it can, and will, fix the problem, but Hayes asks whether the damage has already been done. For decades Boeing has relied on the undisputed trust of pilots and millions of passengers flying worldwide. But now, has it all been lost?
Reporter: Liz Hayes
Producer: Gareth Harvey

8:40pm Sunday on Nine.