A preliminary report by the National Transportation Safety Board found that the four bolts that should have kept the door plug in place were missing when the plane left Boeing's factory. The NTSB report did not point the finger at anyone for the missing bolts and the accident but in a statement to investors before the findings were released, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun admitted responsibility for the incident.

"We caused the problem, and we understand that. Whatever conclusions are reached, Boeing is accountable for what happened."

Clark, who had been at Boeing for 18 years, had only been in charge of the Max programme since March of 2021, taking over that title after the jets had been returned to service following the crashes. But he had previously held roles related to the 737 Max, including as chief engineer and chief 737 mechanic.

With the news of Clark's departure, Boeing also announced a reshuffling of a number of executives in its Boeing Commercial Airplanes unit. It created a new executive position, Senior Vice President for BCA Quality, and named Elizabeth Lund to that role.