Aviation News Item: 00734

21st May 2009

Source: ubmaviationnews.com

The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has urged American Airlines to make changes to its internal maintenance safety programme. The NTSB has found that the airline's 'Continuing Analysis and Surveillance System' "did not adequately detect and correct... performance deficiencies" which contributed to an engine fire incident on a MD-82 in September 2007. Following an incorrect manual engine start procedure conducted by maintenance staff, the left engine caught fire as the aircraft climbed out of Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. The crew managed to land and evacuate all onboard. The investigation revealed that American Airlines maintenance staff had worked on this engine six times during the last 12 days before the incident, but that they were unable to resolve start-up issues reported by flight crew. American says it has already introduced changes since the incident.

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