Boeing 767 Jets: FAA Says Pilots Could Lose Control, Demands Urgent Inspections


Boeing 767 jets are being checked for problems which could cause a “possible loss of control of the airplane,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

On Monday, they published a notice in the Federal Register,ordering inspections to be carried out on these aircraft. This is not the first time the FAA has decided that that the 767 needs to be checked out.

Since 2000 the FAA has ordered numerous inspections, specifically of the elevators, which are the horizontal flight control surfaces essential for climbing and descent.

The fear that faulty parts could be responsible for ” significant pitch upset” and possibly cause pilots to lose control of the aircraft.

Although the FAA have not established a direct link between any faulty parts and accidents in which the 767 was involved, they are taking no chances.

United Airlines is the first airline known to have objected to the FAA action. They say that Boeing have dealt with the problem by issuing service bulletins in 2007 and 2008. The FAA, however, have not accepted this objection.

The order will be in effect from March 3, 2014, and airlines have six years to fix any problems.

After the issue was made public, a Boeing spokeswoman said the company was working closely with the FAA to monitor the fleet for potential safety issues and would take appropriate actions in “an ongoing and continuous process.”

As of June 2013, the 767 has been involved in 38 aviation occurrences,including 14 hull-loss accidents. Seven fatal crashes resulted in a total of 569 occupant fatalities.

The picture above shows a LOT Polish Airlines Flight, which landed safely at Warsaw Airport on November 1, 2011, after a mechanical failure of the landing gear forced an emergency landing with the landing gear up. There were no injuries, but the 767 involved was damaged.

This was possibly the first instance of a complete landing gear failure in the 767’s service history. A preliminary investigation suggested a hydraulic leak and a deactivated circuit breaker as probable causes.

Perhaps Boeing 767 jet inspections need to look at more than just elevators.

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