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Boeing on FAA radar screen
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June 15, 1998: 3:40 p.m. ET
Inspection of rudder pedals comes just months after 737 line investigation
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- For the second time this year, the Federal Aviation Administration is concerned about possible manufacturing errors at the production plants where Boeing makes the world's most popular commercial airliners.
The FAA plans to order American operators of 737s, 747s, 757s, 767s, and 777s to look for loose or missing fasteners on the flight control pedals on 1,400 aircraft.
This action is prompted by an incident during the landing of a 737 in which a captain had no control of the rudder, because the fastener bolt came off the assembly. The co-pilot was able to take over command of the plane without further problem.
A spokesman for the FAA tells CNN the problem is not significant because both pilots have separate rudder controls. But a US Airways 737 pilot said, "The problem is that it occurs during a high workload phase of flight. You'd be confused and there wouldn't be a lot of time to figure out."
The rudder is the primary means of steering an airplane during two critical phases of a flight, takeoff and landing. Pilots say losing the control of the rudder pedal could cause problems by allowing the plane to veer off the runway.
Nevertheless, the FAA is keeping an eye on manufacturing procedures at the Boeing plants. Boeing spokesman Russ Young says the company has already instituted a change in its production line inspection procedures. "We don't think its symptomatic of a larger problem but it does require attention. This is a design and installation we've been doing since the mid 60s."
The 737 assembly line was the subject of a massive FAA inspection just months ago, following the crash of a brand new 737 in Indonesia in December 1997. Wreckage from that crash in which 104 people died showed fasteners on the plane were missing. The FAA ordered airlines to inspect for missing rivets as a precautionary measure.
U.S. airlines have three months to inspect the rudder pedal assemblies on their Boeing planes, an operation that is not expected to cause any delays or aircraft shortages during the peak summer travel season.
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