Boeing staff texted about 737 Max issue in 2016
A pilot allegedly wrote that he had "unknowingly" lied to regulators during tests of the 737 Max.
In documents provided by Boeing to lawmakers, a pilot wrote that he had run into unexpected trouble during tests.
He said he had "basically lied to the regulators [unknowingly]".
The safety system has been tied to two deadly crashes that killed 346 people.
An Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max crashed only minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa in March, killing all 157 people on board.
The same type flown by the Indonesian airline Lion Air crashed into the sea only five months earlier in October 2018, shortly after taking off from Jakarta. That accident claimed the lives of 189 people
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) called the document "concerning" and said it was asking Boeing for an "immediate" explanation for the delay in turning over the documents, which Boeing provided to lawmakers ahead of hearings this month.
Boeing boss Dennis Muilenburg is due to testify. He was recently stripped of the title of chairman of the company, though he remains chief executive.
Boeing said it is cooperating with the investigation of the 737 Max, which has been grounded globally since March following the crashes. The company recently announced a permanent safety committee to oversee development, manufacturing and operation of its aircraft and services.
"We will continue to follow the direction of the FAA and other global regulators, as we work to safely return the 737 MAX to service," Boeing said.
Investigators of the crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia have focused on the role played by a software system called MCAS (Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System), which was designed to make the aircraft easier to fly.
Inquiries have shown the software - and the failure of sensors - contributed to pilots not being able to control the aircraft.
Boeing has blamed the crashes on erroneous data fed into the system. It has said it is revising the plane's software to improve safeguards.
But reviews have criticised Boeing and the FAA for inadequate oversight of the risks associated with the new software system.
Boeing reportedly uncovered the messages, which date to 2016, "some months ago". The pilot no longer works for the company.
In response to the pilot's message, the other Boeing employee wrote: "It wasn't (sic) a lie, no one told us that was the case".
Shares in the company dropped more than 5% on Friday following the reports.
He said he had "basically lied to the regulators [unknowingly]".
The safety system has been tied to two deadly crashes that killed 346 people.
An Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max crashed only minutes after take-off from Addis Ababa in March, killing all 157 people on board.
The same type flown by the Indonesian airline Lion Air crashed into the sea only five months earlier in October 2018, shortly after taking off from Jakarta. That accident claimed the lives of 189 people
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) called the document "concerning" and said it was asking Boeing for an "immediate" explanation for the delay in turning over the documents, which Boeing provided to lawmakers ahead of hearings this month.
Boeing boss Dennis Muilenburg is due to testify. He was recently stripped of the title of chairman of the company, though he remains chief executive.
Boeing said it is cooperating with the investigation of the 737 Max, which has been grounded globally since March following the crashes. The company recently announced a permanent safety committee to oversee development, manufacturing and operation of its aircraft and services.
"We will continue to follow the direction of the FAA and other global regulators, as we work to safely return the 737 MAX to service," Boeing said.
Investigators of the crashes in Ethiopia and Indonesia have focused on the role played by a software system called MCAS (Manoeuvring Characteristics Augmentation System), which was designed to make the aircraft easier to fly.
Inquiries have shown the software - and the failure of sensors - contributed to pilots not being able to control the aircraft.
Boeing has blamed the crashes on erroneous data fed into the system. It has said it is revising the plane's software to improve safeguards.
But reviews have criticised Boeing and the FAA for inadequate oversight of the risks associated with the new software system.
Boeing reportedly uncovered the messages, which date to 2016, "some months ago". The pilot no longer works for the company.
In response to the pilot's message, the other Boeing employee wrote: "It wasn't (sic) a lie, no one told us that was the case".
Shares in the company dropped more than 5% on Friday following the reports.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
