Boeing has replaced the head of its troubled 737 MAX program following an emergency blowout involving one of the aircraft during an Alaska Airlines flight last month, according to a memo sent to employees and seen by multiple media outlets on Wednesday.

Why it matters: The executive's departure comes after a federal watchdog said the near catastrophe that's renewed scrutiny on the company was likely caused by missing bolts.

• Ed Clark, the executive who left the company, has been replaced by Katie Ringgold, who was previously Boeing's vice president of 737 delivery operations.
• She also replaces him as manager of the company's production facility in Renton, Washington, which is the final assembly site of 737 MAX airliners, according to Reuters.

Catch up fast: Passengers and crew were unharmed in the near disaster, but the blowout prompted the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to order operators to ground and inspect all 737 MAX 9 jets.

• Most of the jets have returned to service, but inspections revealed quality control issues such as loose bolts with several aircraft.
• 737 MAX series jets were previously involved in two crashes, one in 2018 and another in 2019 that killed at least 346 people.
• The FAA has promised to increase scrutiny of Boeing's production practices in part by sending its inspectors to Boeing facilities.

The big picture: The National Transportation Safety Board said earlier this month that preliminary findings indicated quality control issues were also behind the door plug blowout.

• It said the mid-exit door plug that tore off the aircraft midflight appeared to have been missing at least four bolts needed to prevent upward movement.

Of note: The aircraft involved in the incident was practically brand new, with Alaska putting it into service in November 2023.

• The board said records showed that the plane underwent repairs in September 2023 that involved removing the affected door plug from the plane's fuselage.
• The NTSB said it couldn't conclude whether the bolts were in place before the repairs, but it said photos indicated they were missing after the repairs were completed.

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Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details.