More Improper Wiring Found on Boeing Jets

Inspections of Boeing jetliners ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration have turned up five more cases of improper wiring in twin-jet Boeing 737s, a federal official said Saturday.

The latest findings were wrong connections on fire extinguisher bottles in engines on four Boeing 737s operated by airlines in Australia and a problem with an indicator light for an engine on a 737-300 operated by USAir.

The indicator light problem involved an incorrect light going on in the cockpit, not an actual engine malfunction, the Seattle Times reported in Saturday’s editions.

Mitch Barker of the FAA’s Seattle office said no more details about the wirings or the Australian airlines involved were available.

Seek to Allay Concerns

The inspection of about 740 Boeing 737s, 747s, 757s and 767s built since 1981 was ordered by the FAA to put to rest concerns about improper wiring of fire-warning and fire-suppressant systems in engines and cargo areas.

Concerns about cross-wiring arose during the investigation of the Jan. 8 crash of a British Midland Airways 737-400 that killed 44 people. Investigators questioned whether faulty wiring caused the pilot to shut down the wrong engine. The cause of that crash has not been determined.

Most foreign aviation agencies ordered their carriers to make similar inspections.

The inspections were advised previously by Boeing in correspondence with its customers. Irregularities in 17 aircraft have been reported in the last few weeks.