In a shocking turn of events, Boeing has admitted to falsifying records relating to the inspection of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The revelation comes amidst yet another federal investigation into the embattled airplane manufacturer.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Monday that it was launching a probe into allegations of record falsification regarding Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. Shortly after, the Seattle Times revealed that Boeing had disclosed employees at its assembly plant in North Charleston, S.C. had indeed falsified records.

When approached for comment, the FAA confirmed the details of its investigation. In an emailed statement, the agency stated that Boeing had voluntarily informed them in April that required inspections to confirm bonding and grounding at the wing-fuselage joint of certain 787 Dreamliner airplanes might not have been completed. The FAA is now seeking to determine if these inspections were carried out and if company employees falsified aircraft records.

Boeing has publicly acknowledged the occurrence of record falsification. In a note originally shared internally at Boeing, and subsequently obtained by Gizmodo, Scott Stocker - the Vice President and General Manager of Boeing's 787 division - explained an incident involving a Boeing team member who had observed and reported an "irregularity" during a required conformance test in wing-body join.

Stocker commended the teammate for raising the issue and stated that upon investigation, it was discovered that several individuals had violated company policies by not conducting the necessary test, yet falsifying records to indicate completion. Boeing promptly informed regulators and is taking immediate corrective action.

Stocker also stated that Boeing's engineering team assessed that this misconduct did not pose an immediate safety of flight issue.

This admission by Boeing adds to the multiple federal investigations already underway. The company has faced heightened scrutiny since January, when an Alaska Airlines flight experienced hull damage due to a purported manufacturing error. Regulators have been questioning Boeing's safety practices, resulting in various federal investigations and Congressional scrutiny.

The company's crisis has been further marred by the deaths of multiple corporate whistleblowers who spoke out about safety concerns at Boeing. In March, former quality control engineer John Barnett, who was providing legal testimony against Boeing, was found dead with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Another whistleblower, Joshua Dean, who formerly worked as a quality auditor at Boeing's supplier, Spirit AeroSystems, also passed away last week due to a fast-spreading infection.

Several other whistleblowers have come forward, including three who testified before Congress last month, highlighting the escalating challenges faced by Boeing.

As the investigations continue, the aviation industry waits anxiously for answers and reassurances regarding the safety and integrity of Boeing's aircraft.