P.M. BRIEFING : Task Force Calls for $563 Million in Jetliner Safety Modifications

A government-industry task force today recommended work to increase the safety of 1,900 older McDonnell Douglas DC-8, DC-9, DC-10 and MD-80 jetliners at an average cost of $290,000 per aircraft.

The $563-million proposal was announced at a news conference by the Air Transport Assn., which set up the panel 14 months ago.

The group proposed modification or replacement of parts rather than continued inspection of the airliners. The advice is similar to recommendations made by another task force that studied airliners manufactured by the Boeing Co.

Many of the changes are already being made at airline maintenance bases, officials said.

The panel reviewed 3,900 service bulletins put out by McDonnell Douglas. Only 159 were for recommended modification or replacement action.

The Federal Aviation Administration, which made the Boeing recommendations mandatory in May, participated in the latest group along with airlines, manufacturers and some foreign aviation safety officials. The regulatory agency is expected to adopt the McDonnell Douglas recommendations for U.S. airlines, and most foreign carriers are likely to comply.

A third study will cover older airliners built by other manufacturers.