Boeing ousts head of 737 jet program after latest serious incident

This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and released by the National Transportation Safety Board, shows a section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missing panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX in Portland, Ore. Federal officials are investigating Boeing's oversight of production of a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week. (NTSB via AP)

SEATTLE (AP) — Boeing says the head of its 737 jetliner program is leaving the company immediately, paving the way for the aircraft maker to appoint new leadership at the troubled division.

The company said Wednesday that Ed Clark had been with Boeing for 18 years.

File photo-Spirit AeroSystems, based in Wichita, makes a large part of the fuselages on Boeing Max jets. Elaine Thompson/AP/NPR

Katie Ringgold will succeed him as vice president and general manager of the 737 program, and the company's Renton, Washington site.

The shakeup comes weeks after the head of the Federal Aviation Administration said Boeing — under pressure from airlines to produce large numbers of planes — is not paying enough attention to safety.

In January, an emergency door panel blew off a Boeing 737 Max 9 over Oregon.

Boeing also named Elizabeth Lund to the new position of senior vice president for BCA Quality, where she will lead quality control and quality assurance efforts.