Striking Union Mechanics Say Airline Suffered Ongoing Problems In September

Striking Northwest Airlines aircraft mechanics say the latest batch of FAA inspectors' reports, which the union just obtained under the federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), shows that Northwest Airlines maintenance problems recently reported by the Minneapolis Star Tribune for August 2005 continued into September.

On October 2, the Minneapolis newspaper said the FAA inspectors' reports for August, "reviewed by two independent aviation experts, describe training deficiencies among the replacement workers, thin staffing, maintenance blunders and mistakes in recording aircraft repairs -- a crucial safety discipline in the airline industry."

Examples of information from August inspectors' reports not mentioned by the Star Tribune, and from newer reports from the period September 1-15, 2005:

Report date: August 20, 2005. Aircraft: Boeing DC-9. "Only Mr. X was a seasoned aircraft mechanic who had attended a 6-week training course at Northwest...and who was authorized to accomplish the task at hand. The other four contract mechanics were new A&P's (mechanics) fresh out of A&P school."

Report date: August 22, 2005. Aircraft: Airbus 320. "During the inspection a leak was found on the tail and traced to a yaw dampener actuator...The part was not available and the yaw dampener (replacement) was deferred. A check of the logbook revealed the sticker for the deferral but there was no follow-up action noted on the sticker. I enquired and the mechanic found it was a 10-day item but still did not indicate any follow-up action on the sticker."

Report date: August 24, 2005. Aircraft: Boeing 747. "Tire was replaced.... The reference paperwork was on site but not followed. Landing gear lock pins were not installed and there was no thread protector available that fit this axle size. Pointed this out to management."

Report date: August 26, 2005. Aircraft: Boeing 757. "Aircraft arrived (at Reagan National Airport) with several interior discrepancies that had not been written up in the aircraft log. Flight attendants on board aircraft told (FAA) inspector that they were briefed not to write up discrepancies...It is this inspector's belief that if the flight crew had not been questioned, these discrepancies would have not been reported."

Report date: September 1, 2005. Aircraft: Airbus A320. "Upon arrival at the gate, the flight crew wrote up the nose gear strut for bottoming out. Maintenance arrived and serviced the strut with nitrogen only. The strut would not stay inflated. It was decided that the strut would require servicing with fluid. Maintenance could not locate the equipment necessary and the flight was eventually cancelled."

Report date: September 1, 2005. Aircraft: Boeing 747. "Rain repellent system was reading zero and was not placarded (tagged) as non-operational nor was there any entry in the aircraft maintenance log book."

Report date: September 3, 2005. Aircraft: Boeing 757. "Aircraft in for an "A" inspection. Stab(ilizer) trim check failed. Stab(ilizer) brake failed...no parts in stock...the mechanic working the stab(ilizer) trim problem only had two weeks of 757 experience."

Report date: September 3, 2005. Aircraft: Boeing 747. "Static wing tips missing from left and right wings. Aircraft maintenance notified. Items entered into log book."

Report date: September 8, 2005. Aircraft: Airbus 319. "Captain's side windshield anti-ice (system) inoperable and (maintenance had been) deferred...Windshield was approximately 65-70% covered with fog, rendering it very difficult to see during taxi...clearly a safety hazard."

Report date: September 9, 2005. Aircraft: Boeing 757. "For the second time in a two-week period the evening shift Northwest Airlines personnel left the jetway door propped open and unattended. This is in violation of Anchorage Airport security directives and the Anchorage Airport police were called to Gate B-10. Officer Stecz investigated and case number 05-6986 was generated, which will be a security violation against Northwest Airlines."

Report date: September 12, 2005. Aircraft: Airbus 319. "Mr. X has just completed training in Tucson on NWA paperwork.... He was a little unsure of how to look up a part."

"The records show that if it hadn't been for the diligence of the FAA inspectors, many of these and other problems would not have been caught or reported," said AMFA Local 33 President Ted Ludwig. "Northwest's severe curtailment of required electronic reporting, combined with the disturbing facts laid out in available eletronic reports, indicate that Northwest has been attempting to pencil-whip the system--FAA officials in Washington and its own personnel--in order to hide its inability to perform aircraft maintenance in full compliance with regulations."

FMI: www.nwa.com, www.amfa33.org