Airworthiness directive aimed at preventing the inadvertent engagement of autopilot during takeoff roll

18 MAR 2010

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it is proposing a $300,000 civil penalty on American Airlines for a maintenance violation.

The FAA alleges that on Feb. 2, 2009, American Airlines mechanics deferred maintenance on a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 under the airline’s DC-9 Minimum Equipment List (MEL) by noting that the “pitot/stall heater light off” light on the aircraft’s annunciator panel was inoperative.

However, maintenance personnel determined the next day that the inoperative part was actually the captain’s pitot probe heater. Pitot probes are mounted on the exterior surfaces of an airplane and are used in measuring airspeed. Because they can be affected by a build-up of ice, these devices are equipped with heaters. The airplane’s MEL allows for maintenance on the pitot probe heater to be deferred, but it restricts flights to daytime only, in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC). It prohibits flights into known or forecast icing or visible moisture.

Because mechanics logged the discrepancy as an inoperative panel light, the flight crew was unaware that the daytime, VMC restrictions applied to further flights. The aircraft was operated on five passenger revenue flights, in violation of Federal Aviation Regulations.

American Airlines has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s civil penalty letter to respond to the agency.

Tagged: American Airlines, FAA, fine, MD-82, MEL ()

The company announced in April 2009 that it would curtail production of Boeing 777s to five per month from seven

17 MAR 2010

Boeing 767-2B7ER N651US (became N251AY), July 2005 at Amsterdam Airport (Photo: Harro Ranter)

The Charlotte Observer reported that a US Airways Boeing 767 caused onboard illness in December and January and again sickened passengers and crew on March 16, 2010.
On March 16 US Airways flight AWE985 was pushed back from the gate at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, NC (CLT/KCLT) on a morning flight to Montego Bay-Sangster International Airport (MBJ/MKJS), Jamaica. The crew taxied back to the gate after an electrical smell was reported in the cabin. Seven crew members and two passengers recived medical treatment.
FAA Service Difficulty Reports indicate that the airplane in question, registered N251AY, was involved in two earlier cases of foul odors entering the cabin.
On December 28, 2009 a very strong odor was smelled during initial descent into San Juan. No cause was found but recirculation filters were replaced and  back in Charlotte the APU was replaced.
On the same flight three days later passengers and crew members in the rear of the aircraft complained of feeling faint and nauseous due to a foul odor in the cabin. Some repairs were made and the airplane returned to service.
Again on January 21, 2010 a foul odor was reported but no faults were found.

SDR narrative of the December 28 event:

SJU  FLT 1568  CLT TO SJU.  WHEN THRUST LEVERS WERE REDUCED TO IDLE FOR INITIAL DESCENT, A
VERY STRONG ODOR SMELLING LIKE WET SOCKS AND/OR DIRTY FEET CIRCULATED THROUGH THE
PASSENGER CABIN AND FLIGHT DECK.  THE FLIGHT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.  INSPECTED
THE ENGINES FOR LEAKS, PACK BAYS, WHEEL WELLS, APU, HYD SYSTEM.  NO LEAKS FOUND.
PERFORMED ENGINE RUN ISOLATING PACKS AND GENERATING WITH DIFFERENT AIR SOURCES.  REMOVED
AND REPLACED RECIRCULATION FILTERS.  NO SMELLS PRESENT.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS MAINTENANCE
FERRIED BACK TO CLT.  APU CHANGE DUE TO CABIN ODOR.  REMOVED AND REPLACED APU.

SDR narrative of the December 31 event:

FLT 1568.  FOUL ODOR AFTER TAKEOFF TO APPROX FL 180.  ODOR RESUMED ON DESCENT AT IDLE &
STRONGER PASSING FL 180, IN REAR OF ACFT.  PAX & F/A`S FEELING FAINT & NAUSEOUS.  APU OFF
& BLEEDS & PACKS ON.  FLT LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT.  ACFT FERRIED FOR REPAIR.  BOTH ENGINES
SUMPS CHECKED FOR LEAKS & BORESCOPED.  NO FAULTS.  NEW HEAT EXCHANGERS, REHEATERS, &
CONDENSORS INSTALLED.  ACFT TEST FLOWN & CONDITION REPEATED.  MX FOUND RT RESERVOIR
PRESSURE MODULE CONTAMINATED.  MODULE REPLACED.  SHOP FOUND UNIT FAILED TEST.  INTERNAL
LEAKAGE.  BLEED VALVE STICKING.  FOUND CUT PACKING, CORRODED FILTER CAP, & DIRTY FILTER.
REPLACED FILTER, FILTER CAP, BLEED VALVE, SOFT GOODS, & HARDWARE.  TESTED UNIT.  NO
DEFECTS NOTED.

SDR narrative of the January 21 event:

A SCORCHED ODOR OR LIKE A GYM OR LOCKER ROOM.  ODOR ENDED UP IN ENTIRE CABIN.  MAINTENANCE
DID NOT DETECT ANYTHING ON ARRIVAL.  INSPECTED CHILLERS AND ALL ELECTRICAL WIRING
ASSOCIATED WITH CHILLERS, NO FOUL ODORS NOTED.  OPERATION OF LT RECIRC FAN IS GOOD.
FILTER IS NEW AND INSTALLED CORRECTLY.  AIR IS BEING DRAWN THROUGH AT A GOOD RATE.
SEVERAL CHECKS OF BOTH ENGINE RESERVOIR AIR PRESSURE LINES FOUND NO FLUID PRESENT AT THIS
TIME.  NO ODOR IN CABIN.  AIRCRAFT WAS ON NUMEROUS TEST FLIGHTS AND NO ODOR WAS NOTED.

Tagged: Boeing 767, cabin, odor ()

President and CEO Calin Rovinescu plans to beef up hub operations at Montreal Trudeau Airport

16 MAR 2010

Islander N663SA nose down in the trees (Photo: Alaska State Troopers)

A Britten-Norman BN-2A-21 Islander passenger plane, registered N663SA, sustained substantial damage in an accident at Kodiak Airport, AK (ADQ). All three on board were injured.

The airplane was taking off from Kodiak runway 25, on a domestic flight to Old Harbor Airport, AK (OLH). The Islander contacted the tops of trees past the end of the runway and came to rest nose down on the ground in a stand of trees, the branches supporting the plane in a vertical position.

Weather reported at the time of the crash was:

2045Z 290 21 G27KT 7SM -SN SCT025 SCT030 BKN 01/M03 A2970

[Wind 290 degrees at 21 knots, gusting to 27 knots; visibility 7 miles; light snow; scattered clouds at 2,500 ft and 3,000 ft; temperature 1 degree C, dew point -3 degrees C].

Tagged: accident, Alaska, Islander ()

16 MAR 2010

The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) released a “Watchlist” that points to nine critical safety issues troubling Canada’s transportation system. The TSB Watchlist took shape after analysts found troubling patterns in their work.

Three safety issues related to aviation:
Problem: There is ongoing risk that aircraft may collide with vehicles or other aircraft on the ground at Canadian airports.
Solution: Improved procedures and the adoption of enhanced collision warning systems are required at Canada’s airports.

Problem: Fatalities continue to occur when planes collide with land and water while under crew control.
Solution: Wider use of technology is needed to help pilots assess their proximity to terrain.

Problem: Landing accidents and runway overruns continue to occur at Canadian airports.
Solution: In bad weather, pilots need to receive timely information about runway surface conditions.
Airports need to lengthen the safety areas at the end of runways or install other engineered systems and structures to safely stop planes that overrun.

Tagged: Canada, CFIT, overrun, runway excursion, TSB ()

Air France and KLM will start charging customers for a second checked bag on all routes

No 'show stoppers' have emerged to block plan, which would only focus on engines - no cockpit or other upgrades

15 MAR 2010

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued an emergency airworthiness directive EAD 2010-0042-E regarding the main fuel pump system and water scavenge system on certain Airbus A330 aircraft.
During a recent in-service event the flight crew of a Trent 700 powered A330 aircraft reported a temporary Engine Pressure Ratio (EPR) shortfall on engine 2 during the take-off phase of the flight. The ENG STALL warning was set. The flight crew followed the standard procedures which included reducing throttle to idle. The engine recovered and provided the demanded thrust level for the remainder of the flight.
Data analysis confirmed a temporary fuel flow restriction and subsequent recovery, and indicated that also engine 1 experienced a temporary fuel flow restriction shortly after the initial event on engine 2, again followed by a full recovery. The engine 1 EPR shortfall was insufficient to trigger any associated warning and was only noted through analysis of the flight data.
No flight crew action was necessary to recover normal performance on this engine. The remainder of the flight was uneventful.
Based on previous industry-wide experience, the investigation of the event has focused on the possibility for ice to temporarily restrict the fuel flow.
While no direct fuel system fault has been identified, the operation of the water scavenge system at Rib 3 cannot be excluded as being a contributory factor.
Testing and analysis are continuing to identify the root cause of the event.
The scenario of ice being shed and causing a temporary blockage in the engine fuel system may lead to a temporary fuel flow restriction to the engine. This may result in a possible engine surge or stall condition, and in the engine not being able to provide the commanded thrust.
Therefore, as a precautionary measure to reduce the possibility of ingesting ice into the engine fuel feed system, this AD requires to:
- deactivate the automatic Standby Fuel Pump Scavenge System, which operates during Taxi and Take-off by removing relays
Functional Item Numbers (FIN) 80QA1 and 80QA2 (this will not affect normal standby pump operation) for aeroplanes identified in the applicability section of this AD and on which this deactivation has not been performed in production through the modification 200801, and
- Prohibit the dispatch with one MAIN Fuel Pump inoperative on all aeroplanes identified in the applicability section of this AD.

Tagged: AD, Airbus A330, EASA (EASA)

Parties debate impact with six weeks to go before U.S. begins enforcing tarmac delay regulation

President Tim Clark, referring to A350, says carrier 'will not accept again what they did to us with the A380'

12 MAR 2010
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is seeking to collect three proposed civil penalties totaling $787,500 from American Airlines for maintenance violations. In the first case, which occurred in April 2008, the FAA alleges American Airlines mechanics diagnosed problems with one of two Central Air Data Computers (CADCs) on a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 jetliner. Instead of replacing the computer, mechanics improperly deferred this maintenance under the airline’s DC-9 Minimum Equipment List (MEL) by noting that the auto-throttles were inoperative. The MEL, however, does not allow deferral of an inoperative CADC. The airline subsequently flew the plane on 10 passenger flights before the computer was replaced. During this time, flight crews were led to believe that both computers were working properly. The FAA proposes a civil penalty of $625,000 in this case. In the second case, the FAA found that in March 2008, American failed to correctly follow an Airworthiness Directive involving the inspection of rudder components on certain Boeing 757 aircraft. As a result, four 757s operated by American Airlines did not comply with the requirements of the Airworthiness Directive. The FAA alleges that after American was advised of the situation, the company said it would cease flying the planes until they were repaired. However, during the following two days, the airline flew two of the planes on a total of three passenger flights. The FAA is seeking a penalty of $75,000 in this case. In the final case, the FAA alleges that in May 2009, American’s mechanics returned an MD-82 aircraft to service, even though several steps of a scheduled B-check maintenance visit had not been checked off as completed. The airline also replaced a landing gear door without noting it in the aircraft’s logbook. The aircraft was operated on two passenger flights with the logbook error. An FAA inspection of the aircraft revealed several discrepancies in the tail section, including loose screws, a missing nut plate and a right hand elevator torque tube binding and making noise. As a result of these discrepancies, the FAA proposes a civil penalty of $87,500. American Airlines has 30 days from the receipt of the FAA’s civil penalty letter to respond to the agency. (FAA)

IATA points to a recent uptick in passenger demand and says airline losses this year will be lower than projected

President stresses need to reform regulations to boost U.S. exports without sacrificing national security

The U.S. and the EU plan to meet in Brussels March 22 for what they hope will be the last round of open-skies talks

NASA-funded study says it could aid use of advanced short-runway airliners, large commercial tiltrotors

10 MAR 2010
The crew of a Ryanair flight to Altenburg, Germany was forced to divert to Berlin because there was no air traffic controller present at the airport, according to a report by the German “Ostthüringer Zeitung” newspaper. On Sunday March 7, 2010 Ryanair flight FR 8926 departed London-Stansted Airport (STN/EGSS) airport on a flight to Altenburg Nobitz Airport (AOC/EDAC). The flight, carrying about 180 passengers, was scheduled to arrive at 09:45 but the crew were not able to contact the Altenburg controller. The crew decided to divert to Berlin-Schönefeld Airport (SXF/EDDB). The absence of an air traffic controller in the tower was due to an error in staff scheduling, according to a spokesman of “The Tower Company”, the Air Navigation Service Provider at Altenburg. The flight was carried out by Boeing 737-8AS, registered EI-DAN. (Ostthüringer Zeitung)

10 MAR 2010
The Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism reprimanded Skymark Airlines for replacing a captain who refused to take off over safety concerns, The Mainichi Daily News reported. In a press release, the Ministry reported that the captain of Skymark Airlines flight BC017 asked the company’s headquarters on February 5, 2010 to replace the chief cabin attendant who he judged unable to deal with a possible emergency during the flight. The chief cabin attendant reportedly suffered from a cold. The flight was due to depart Tokyo-Haneda Airport (HND/RJTT) on a domestic flight to Fukuoka Airport (FUK/RJFF). Company officials ordered the captain to accomplish the flight without changing the chief cabin attendant, but he refused to do so. Skymark then ordered another captain on standby to take over the flight and fired the original captain the same day. Skymark was given a written reprimand by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on March 9, 2010. Flight BC017 was carried out by a Boeing 737-86N, registered JA737K. (The Mainichi Daily News, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism )

10 MAR 2010
Two Ukrainian crew members were not allowed to carry out a flight from Simferopol to Kiev because their blood-alcohol concentration was above legal limits. The Ukraine Ministry of Transport and Communications reported in a news release that the level of alcohol in the flight engineer’s blood was 0.75 pro mil and that of flight attendant 0.57 pro mil, with the maximum legal amount being 0.2 pro mil. The crew were supposed to operate a Dnieproavia/Donbassaero Yakovlev 42 on March 9, 2010, on flight UDN398 from Simferopol Airport (SIP/UKFF) to Kiev-Borispol Airport (KBP/UKBB). In a statement, Donbassaero claimed it was unreasonable to subject this crew to an alcohol test at 11:00 because of the time between the test and the intended departure time. Under mandatory rest requirements, the flight could take place no earlier than midday, according to Donbassaero. (Ukraine Ministry of Transport and Communications)