Mon, Nov 24, 2008
Missing Plastic Cap Found In Aircraft Fuel Line, Investigation
Underway
The Boeing helicopter assembly facility in Ridley Park, PA shut
down its production lines at 1 pm Friday after a misplaced plastic
cap was found in a fuel line in a V-22 Osprey fuselage.
Representative Joe Sestak, whose congressional district includes
the Boeing plant, said he was informed of the incident by a Boeing
executive. Sestak said the cap was found during an inspection that
began after two dissimilar types of plastic caps couldn't be found
at the end of a shift, the Associated Press said.
"Boeing says they can't rule out that it was not willful, so
therefore they are proceeding as if it were," Sestak said, adding
that production is expected to be shut down through the
weekend.
The discovery of the foreign object mandated notification of
officials from the Defense Contract Management Agency. Because the
incident is now under federal investigation, Boeing spokesman John
Williamson said he was unable to give specific details.
"Until the Department of Defense completes their review of the
situation and sets the criteria, they will not be accepting
aircraft from us and we won't be producing any," Williamson
said.
As ANN reported, last May production lines
were shut down at the Ridley Park plant when employees discovered
severed wiring on one CH-47 Chinook during a quality control
inspection, and a second with a "suspicious washer."
The incident was attributed to a disgruntled worker, who
recently admitted to the vandalism.
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