Boeing is facing a major shake-up in its leadership as the fallout from a midair door blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight last month continues to reverberate. The head of Boeing's 737 Max program, Ed Clark, is leaving the company after nearly 15 years, according to a memo obtained by The Post. Clark took over the Max program in 2021, following the crashes of two 737 Max 9 planes in 2018 and 2019 that resulted in a temporary global grounding of the aircraft. His departure is part of a larger leadership overhaul at Boeing, with Elizabeth Lund moving to a new position focused on quality control and assurance.

The incident that led to Clark's departure occurred on January 5 when a portion of a Boeing 737 Max aircraft blew out mid-air on an Alaska Airlines flight. The National Transportation Safety Board found that missing bolts, intended to hold the door plug in place, were to blame for the incident. The FAA temporarily grounded all Boeing 737 Max 9 planes for inspections in the aftermath of the mishap.

In response to the incident, Boeing has been overhauling its quality-control processes and has been notified by its supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, of additional manufacturing issues in some 50 undelivered 737 Max 9 planes. Despite these challenges, all Boeing 737 Max 9s have returned to the skies after undergoing inspections by the FAA.

The departure of Clark and the broader leadership changes at Boeing come as the company grapples with a damaged reputation and billions of dollars in value lost. The incident has raised questions about Boeing's safety procedures and has led to increased oversight by regulatory agencies. Airlines like Alaska and United, which operate the Max 9 model, have expressed uncertainty about their future with Boeing Max planes in light of these recent developments.