NTSB warns of possible fire hazard on 767s

Board recommends review of all aircraft wiring

January 27, 1998
Web posted at: 5:36 p.m. EST (2236 GMT)

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Boeing 767s could be at risk of in-flight fires or loss of control because of inadequate separation between aircraft wiring and adjacent components, the National Transportation Safety Board reported to the Federal Aviation Administration in a letter on January 15.

NTSB called on the FAA to review all aircraft wiring designs in light of recent incidents on three different aircraft.

The board cited two incidents on 767s that occurred within days of each other in 1996. In both cases, electricity jumped from the plane's wiring to cables controlling the flight control surfaces on the wings.

On one flight -- a Delta Air Lines 767 departing from Kennedy Airport in New York -- the pilots had to regain control of the plane and make an emergency landing back in New York.

In addition to the two 767 incidents, the transportation safety board cited an incident that caused an in-flight fire on a Cessna 650.

FAA recommendations for a certain amount of clearance between wiring and nearby components are not always being followed, the NTSB claims.

The board is asking the FAA to review the design, manufacture and inspection procedures of all aircraft to ensure that there is enough distance between wiring and other components to prevent the fire hazard.

Boeing said it had responded swiftly to the three incidents cited by the NTSB.

"It is important to note that as soon as the incidents occurred, we issued service bulletins," said company spokeswoman Debbie Nomaguchi.

She said FAA-conducted inspections of the clearance between the wiring and cables "showed no damage. It was an isolated problem and we fixed it."

The FAA's Tom Sweeney said his agency had made no decision yet on the NTSB's request for a review. "It's a little premature to give a definitive response to a recommendation we've had for just two weeks," he said.

Related sites:

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• Federal Aviation Administration
• National Transportation Safety Board
• The Boeing Company
  • 757/767 Family

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