Boeing Averts 737 MAX Crash Trial with Last-Minute US Settlement

ByUjjwal Sukhwani•January 15, 2026 at 01:26 AM•3 min read

SAFETY

Boeing Averts 737 MAX Crash Trial with Last-Minute US Settlement

Boeing reached an "11th hour" settlement in a US civil case with a Canadian family over the Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 crash, averting a high-profile trial; financial terms are confidential.

Key Points

1Boeing reached an "11th hour" settlement with Manant Vaidya, a Canadian who lost family in the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 crash, averting a Chicago federal court trial.
2The manufacturer accepted "full responsibility" for the preventable loss of life, though the financial terms of the civil case were not disclosed.
3The crash was the second of two 737 MAX disasters linked to the MCAS (Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System) software, which together killed 346 people.
4The settlement follows a November US jury award of US$28.45 million to the family of another victim in the same courthouse.

A last-minute settlement was reached by Boeing and a Canadian man, Manant Vaidya, averting a major civil trial. The case concerned the tragic 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash. The deal was finalized late Tuesday night, just before opening arguments were set to begin. The trial was scheduled in a Chicago federal court to determine damages.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The plaintiff's attorneys called the accord an “11th hour” deal.

Background: The Averted Trial

Manant Vaidya lost several family members in the March 2019 disaster. His sister, Kosha, and his parents, Pannagesh and Hansini Vaidya, perished.

Mr. Vaidya also lost his brother-in-law and two young nieces. Relatives of those victims had settled a separate lawsuit in July 2025.

Robert Clifford, the lead attorney, stated that Boeing accepted full responsibility for the loss of these lives. He noted the corporate giant has now been held accountable to the family.

The 737 MAX Crisis and Liability

The Ethiopian Airlines crash killed all 157 people aboard the Boeing 737 MAX 8 jet. This was the second fatal crash involving the aircraft in five months. The first was the Lion Air Flight 610 crash in October 2018.

Together, the two accidents claimed a total of 346 lives. The entire 737 MAX grounding followed the second crash.

The MCAS Software

Investigators implicated the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) software in both crashes. This flight stabilizing system pushed the aircraft's nose down repeatedly. The system was triggered by faulty data from a single Angle of Attack (AoA) sensor.

Boeing has since apologized for the disasters. The company has worked to resolve numerous lawsuits.

In November, a jury in the same Chicago courthouse ruled against Boeing. That jury determined the manufacturer must pay US$28.45 million to the family of an Indian victim.

Industry Impact and Ongoing Scrutiny

This latest Boeing 737 MAX settlement highlights the manufacturer’s ongoing legal exposure. The company has settled the vast majority of civil claims.

The overall financial impact of the crisis has been immense. Direct costs alone were estimated at over US$20 billion.

These settlements reinforce the issue of aircraft manufacturer liability. They underscore the need for rigorous aviation safety standards. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) oversaw the global return to service. This required significant software and training improvements.

Key Takeaways:
- Boeing avoided a public damages trial with the last-minute settlement.
- The manufacturer accepted full responsibility for the loss of life.
- The case stems from the Ethiopian Airlines 737 MAX 8 crash that killed 157 people.
- The MCAS software was the central technical issue in both MAX crashes.

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