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."