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FAA looks at Continental
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September 30, 1997: 6:26 a.m. ET
Regulators step up surveillance after rash of engine problems
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - The Federal Aviation Administration has reportedly stepped up its surveillance of Continental Airlines' engine maintenance as a result of a recent string of in- flight engine failures.
In each case, the engine involved was Pratt & Whitney's JT8D, which is used in Boeing's 727 and 737 models as well as the McDonnell-Douglas DC-9. None of the failures have resulted in injury, but in each case, the jets were forced to make unscheduled landings.
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that investigators in the FAA's Houston office have asked the airline to provide detailed engine maintenance records and have increased inspections. The FAA said those inspections were related to issues specific to Continental and that the airline has implemented changes as a result of the probe.
Over the past eight months, eight Continental jets were forced to make unscheduled landings because of engine failure. Two occurred in one nine-day period in late summer. FAA spokesman John Clabes said inspectors decided to further investigate because Continental was experiencing "an abnormal amount of engine shutdowns in flight."
A Continental spokesman told the Journal the airline has not received any notification that it was part of any special FAA engine inspection program. The spokesman said the company's engines have performed typically and are maintained and operated according to industry standards.
Pratt & Whitney's JT8D is one of the most widely-used engines in commercial airlines. There are about 2,200 in service in two-engine and three-engine configurations on various narrow-body jetliners.
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