But Adds All Fleet Operators Have Already Complied With FAA's EAD

Calling the National Transportation Safety Board's recommendation for immediate checks of throttle quadrants on Eclipse 500 jets "premature," on Friday Eclipse Aviation said all fleet operators of the very-light-jet had already complied with the FAA's Emergency Airworthiness Directive, adding those planes are in the air and operating normally.

As ANN reported, that AD was issued late Thursday, stemming from the circumstances that led to an emergency landing performed by an Eclipse 500 pilot on June 5, 2008 at Chicago Midway International Airport.

The aircraft, serial number 26, encountered windshear on short final; when the plane's pilot applied full power, he did so with enough force against the forward stops to exceed the design throttle position signal maximum range. The associated fault mode with the plane's FADEC held the engine thrust settings at the last known throttle position -- full power.

Following the balked landing, the pilot elected to shutdown one engine in order to reduce thrust. After spooling down the right engine, however, the left-side turbofan reduced thrust to idle... and failed to respond to subsequent throttle inputs. Fortunately, the pilot was able to perform a safe emergency landing at MDW, with two blown maingear tires the only damage to plane and crew.

The AD requires a pilot inspection of the thrust quadrant assembly on each Eclipse 500 in advance of the aircraft's next flight. The AD does NOT require that any plane in the Eclipse 500 fleet be grounded, the company stressed, adding the checks may be performed in about 10 minutes. Eclipse has also updated the Eclipse 500’s Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) and Quick Reference Handbook (QRH), providing pilot instruction on how to handle a similar event.

"From this aircraft’s advanced design and development program, to the rigorous FAA certification process it underwent, to the exhaustive customer training program we deliver -- the safety of the Eclipse 500 and well being of our customers is always our first priority," Eclipse CEO Vern Raburn said. "We are cooperating fully with the FAA investigation and have communicated everything we know and have learned about this situation to our Eclipse 500 customers and operators."

In contrast, NTSB chairman Mark Rosenker took the unusual step Friday of applauding the FAA's fast response in issuing the Emergency AD, only hours after the Board issued its recommendations.

"The quick FAA response to the urgent recommendations we issued could save lives," Rosenker said. "Additionally, the NTSB is looking forward to reviewing the results of the FAA-required inspections of these aircraft."

Next week, the FAA and Eclipse will be conducting further evaluations and tests on the throttle quadrant from the incident aircraft.

This is the first report of an engine control failure on the Eclipse 500, and the first incident for an Eclipse 500 in more than 18,000 total fleet hours. Though an early-build aircraft, the incident EA500 was relatively low-time -- with 238 hours total time, and 192 cycles.

FMI: www.eclipseaviation.com, www.ntsb.gov