The FAA has issued an emergency Airworthiness Directive (AD) to operators and owners of Boeing 737NGs to inspect the aircraft’s elevator tab control mechanisms following an incident on a Ryanair 737-800.
The FAA says the AD originated from a reported “failure of aft attach lugs on the left elevator tab control mechanism, which resulted in severe elevator vibration… Subsequent investigation revealed extensive damage to the elevator tab control system. Severe vibration in this attach point is suspected of allowing rapid wear of the joint, and resulted in failure of the attach lugs. This condition, if not corrected, could result in a loss of aircraft control and structural integrity.”
The AD came after Boeing issued an Alert Service Bulletin on March 12 which describes procedures for a detailed inspection to detect discrepancies of the inboard and outboard aft attach lugs of the elevator tab control mechanism, with 12 or 30 days to comply depending on the specific aircraft. The AD also requires reporting the inspection results to Boeing.
Both Qantas and Virgin Blue operate substantial fleets of 737NGs, but neither has said if they expect their schedules to be affected by the required inspections to their aircraft.
Source: Australian Aviation
By: Cking - 19th March 2010 at 09:45
The 10 had a blighted start in life with the cargo door and engine pylon problems. It also seemed to have more than it’s fair share of unconnected accidents too. No wonder it is refered to as “The Death Cruiser”!!!
Rgds Cking
By: Arabella-Cox - 19th March 2010 at 09:09
Yes, that was it – the cargo doors.
By: Bmused55 - 19th March 2010 at 08:45
No. The DC-10 grounding and the Erebus crash were two different events and not connected, but they were close together time-wise.
I can’t remember what the DC-10 grounding (ED Emergency Directive?) was about, but I certainly remember it happening. ANZ flew only DC-10’s on their international routes at the time and were consequently badly affected because they had nothing to fly.
Ah right, perhaps the problem with the cargo door then?
I seem to remember that causing the fleet to be grounded, pending checks and modifications.
By: KabirT - 19th March 2010 at 08:37
just heard from my contact in 9W that there B737 fleet is already going under checks in accordance to the AD issued by FAA.
By: steve rowell - 19th March 2010 at 06:30
1979- wasn’t that the time of the United DC-10 accident, when the engine fell off?
Rgds Cking
You’re thinking of American 191 at Ohare
By: Arabella-Cox - 19th March 2010 at 05:51
Do you mean the Mt Erebus crash?
That wasn’t due to some sort of DC-10 specific flaw or such. It was mainly down to incorrect navigational fixes being input into the flight computer. The Plane and crew thought they were miles away from their actual position.
No. The DC-10 grounding and the Erebus crash were two different events and not connected, but they were close together time-wise.
I can’t remember what the DC-10 grounding (ED Emergency Directive?) was about, but I certainly remember it happening. ANZ flew only DC-10’s on their international routes at the time and were consequently badly affected because they had nothing to fly.
By: Cking - 18th March 2010 at 22:22
1979- wasn’t that the time of the United DC-10 accident, when the engine fell off? I was at Brooklands college of technology with a bunch of Laker and Calidonian apprentices at the time, They were dropping CF-6’s to do special checks on the engine mounts. The Erebus incident was later, wasn’t it?
Rgds Cking
By: Bmused55 - 18th March 2010 at 17:21
Do you mean the Mt Erebus crash?
That wasn’t due to some sort of DC-10 specific flaw or such. It was mainly down to incorrect navigational fixes being input into the flight computer. The Plane and crew thought they were miles away from their actual position.
By: Arabella-Cox - 18th March 2010 at 14:41
I remember the DC-10 incident as a child in New Zealand. Air New Zealand flew little else at the time and were in a bit of a pickle.
By: Bograt - 18th March 2010 at 12:51
They’ve got no choice. Carry out the AD or you cannot fly. I remember well going to Schiphol in 1979 and a bunch of DC-10’s were parked up waiting to be inspected for an emergency AD.
However, given that in this particular case there is a 12 to 30 days inspection window, it is urgent rather than critical.
By: Dantheman77 - 18th March 2010 at 12:11
I hope airlines do check them. I’m flying on a KLM B737NG next week.
I’m sure they will, as its an AD.
By: Arabella-Cox - 18th March 2010 at 10:06
I hope airlines do check them. I’m flying on a KLM B737NG next week.
By: Cking - 18th March 2010 at 09:55
The 737-2/3/4/500’s have always suffered from problems with the elevator tabs due to vibrations it that area. I’m suprised that this a “New” problem with the NG’s. I would have thought that they would have been checking the tabs any way due to their known history with this defect.
Rgds Cking
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March 17, 2010 at 2:53 am