Mon, Nov 03, 2008
Improper Engine-Mount Installation Could Lead To In-Flight
Separation
'Enhanced' inspections have been proposed by the Federal
Aviation Administration on approximately 500 Boeing 737 jets
operated by US airlines, hoping to detect slip-ups in the
manufacturing process that at worst could result in an in-flight
separation of engines from the wings of the aircraft.
After receiving at least two reports in recent months of
improperly installed engines on Boeing 737s, the FAA has proposed
enhanced inspections of engine mounts on the four most recent
versions of the 737, the -600 through -900 "Next Generation"
models.
According to the FAA, if portions of engine mounts are installed
backward, structural loads are increased on certain parts. In
extreme cases, the result could be "separation of the engine from
the airplane."
A company spokesman said Friday, "We don't believe this to be a
safety of flight issue," adding that Boeing has taken steps to
prevent further slip-ups at the factory and has instructed airlines
to step up inspections of certain planes already in service,
according to Wall Street Journal reports.
Unlike previous directives, which were designed to catch similar
engine installation mistakes made by airline mechanics and
third-party service providers, the FAAs new proposal targets
slip-ups made on the Boeing assembly line.
The new inspections will likely be required to be completed
within 90 days after the final directive is released by the FAA.
The proposal also allows Boeing and airline maintenance officials a
certain degree of flexibility in how to conduct repairs if problems
are found during the inspections.
Expected to follow suit, foreign safety regulators are likely to
require similar inspections, which could eventually affect a total
of more than 1,270 Boeing 737s worldwide.
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