08:48 AM EDT, 06/27/2024 (MT Newswires) -- (Updates throughout with attributions to NTSB statement and additional details in the fourth paragraph.)

The National Transportation Safety Board is sanctioning Boeing ( BA ) for disclosing unauthorized details of its ongoing investigation of the Jan. 5 Alaska Airlines (ALK) mishap and referring the matter to the Department of Justice.

The board said in a statement that Boeing ( BA ) "blatantly violated" rules by disclosing to the media non-public details of the probe of the mid-air blowout of a door plug on a 737 Max.

"A Boeing ( BA ) executive provided investigative information and gave an analysis of factual information previously released," the agency said. "Both of these actions are prohibited by the party agreement that Boeing ( BA ) signed."

The NTSB accused Boeing ( BA ) of portraying its investigation "as a search to locate the individual responsible for the door plug" malfunction. Instead, NTSB said it is "focused on the probable cause of the accident, not placing blame on any individual or assessing liability."

As a result of the alleged breach, Boeing ( BA ) will no longer have access to probe details and will be barred from asking questions during a hearing that begins Aug. 6, the NTSB said.

Boeing ( BA ) did not immediately reply to MT Newswires' request for comment.

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