S aviation safety regulator is poised to approve Bone 77 Max passenger jet for a return to service.

The head of the Federal Aviation Administration, who took a test flight in September, told Reuters on Monday that they expected to complete the review in the coming day.

This is a major milestone from Boeing after its plunged into its worst ever crisis last year after two of its planes crashed in Ethiopia and Indonesia within a five month period, killing 346 people.

It led to the worldwide grounding of Bones bestselling plane in March 2019, which cost the company billions and hobbled its supply chain.

A Justice Department criminal investigation is still ongoing, three sources briefed on the matter told Reuters.

The U.

S safety watchdog was set to lift its grounding order on the plane as early as November the 18th, but Boeing declined to comment.

Other global regulators are also moving closer to allow the plane to fly once more.

The UN grounding would be a vital step in a still artist path to recovery for Boeing, which has forced this year to shed thousands of jobs and slash production due to the global health crisis.

Boeing has some 450 aircraft manufactured and waiting for delivery.

They're being stored in facilities across the U.

S.

As the company remains locked in negotiations with airlines.