Il Nuovo Postiglione - Troubled Boeing announces CEO Dave Calhoun to step down

The company has been hit by problems including a near-catastrophic incident in January when a fuselage panel on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 Alaska Airlines jet blew off mid-flight.

No one was seriously injured, but the plane was forced to make an emergency landing with a gaping hole in the cabin.

"The eyes of the world are on us, and I know that we will come through this moment a better company," Calhoun said in a letter to staff that referenced putting "safety and quality at the forefront of everything that we do."

US regulators last month gave Boeing 90 days to come up with a plan addressing quality control issues, with the regulatory Federal Aviation Administration saying the company must "commit to real and profound improvements."

The company has faced questions following several other potentially dangerous episodes in addition to the Alaska incident, including an engine fire on a Boeing 747 shortly after takeoff from Florida in January.

Earlier this month, a Boeing 777 jetliner bound for Japan had to make an emergency landing shortly after takeoff from San Francisco when a wheel fell off and plunged into an airport parking lot, damaging several cars.

Last week New Zealand authorities launched an investigation after a Boeing 787 Dreamliner violently lost altitude mid-flight from Sydney to Auckland, injuring some passengers.

Calhoun, who will step down at the end of the year, said that "the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 accident was a watershed moment for Boeing. We must continue to respond to this accident with humility and complete transparency."

F.S.Ferrari--INP