U.S. Seizes Files on Plane Engine Parts

Federal agents have removed documents from two New York factories to determine if a manufacturer has been selling the government defective engine bearings that could cause safety problems with many military aircraft, an official said Sunday.

“We conducted a search on Friday with investigators from various federal agencies at the MRC Bearings Co. . . .,” said Patrick NeMoyer, the U.S. attorney for western New York.

He said 30 to 40 investigators from the military services and federal agencies took part in the seizure at MRC plants in Jamestown and Falconer, about 60 miles south of Buffalo.

The New York Times reported Sunday that the Naval Criminal Investigative Service has been looking into allegations made by disgruntled MRC employees two years ago about defective parts and the possible threat to aircraft safety.

More than 900 workers were sent home for the weekend. The plants are expected to reopen Monday, NeMoyer said.

MRC’s parent company, SKF of Gothenborg, Sweden, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of precision bearings.

Lars Malmer, the senior vice president of SKF, told the New York Times on Saturday in Gothenborg that the company is cooperating with investigators but closed the MRC plants Friday because many of the seized documents were needed for production.

NeMoyer said the government will provide MRC with copies of any documents it needs to resume production.

There was no answer to calls placed to MRC officials Sunday at the Jamestown plant.

NeMoyer would not comment on the seizure and would not discuss any charges about possible defects in the bearings.

He also would not confirm reports that an unidentified Navy official told the newspaper that the service had so far not found any safety problems caused by defective bearings.