CS 4863 CSP
Therac and the Boeing 737 MAX
| Proposal Due: | August 28th, 2019 |
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| Format: | Approximately 3 pages, double spaced, 12 pt font |
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| Grading criteria: |
- Completeness
- Writing
- Insight into issues
- Bibliography
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In late 2018 and early 2019, two Boeing 737-MAX aircraft crashed.
The cause was a software bug. For this homework, please research
what caused those crashes and answer these questions:
- Briefly describe the technical cause of the crashes
- Pick three of the 'causal factors' from section 4 of Nancy Leveson's article "Medical Devices: The Therac-25" that you believe are also relevant to the Boeing accidents. For each, explain in detail how that factor applies in the case of the 737 MAX. Discuss how the situations are alike and different with respect to that factor. (Suggested about half a page each).
Please explicitly name the three causal factors from Leveson that you are applying to the 737 Max.
Please include at least three references, in APA format. It's OK for this assignment if they are articles in
the popular press or blog posts. Later in the term we will do research focused on peer-reviewed sources.