Key Takeaways Boeing has reportedly reached a tentative deal with the Justice Department to avoid a guilty plea for violating a criminal settlement.The aircraft manufacturer had agreed to plead guilty to a fraud charge in July of last year amid investigations into the company's safety and production practices.

The Justice Dept. told victims' families it may drop the criminal case against Boeing over the 2018 and 2019 crashes that killed 346 people.

If Boeing ultimately avoids criminal prosecution, it would mark a stunning turnaround by the government. Just last year, the Justice Department charged