Wiring on Nation’s Jetliners to Be Inspected, Upgraded

The Federal Aviation Administration, concerned that a spark from a brittle wire could cause a disaster such as the 1996 crash of a Paris-bound Trans World Airlines jumbo jet, announced a major effort Thursday to inspect and upgrade wiring in the nation’s aging fleet of passenger airplanes.

The FAA’s announcement stemmed partly from a close inspection of five older planes undergoing heavy maintenance: three DC-10s, a DC-9 and a Boeing 727. An engineering team found wires that were stiff or cracked and others that were dirty from spilled hydraulic fluid or metal shavings.

Its conclusion: Current maintenance procedures do not adequately address concerns about aging wires.

“Did we find anything that tells us we should take planes out of service? The answer is no,” said FAA Administrator Jane F. Garvey. “But we do see a need to improve inspections and maintenance practices. We know there’s more that we can do to do our jobs even better.”

Airline representatives were generally pleased with the plan, which they said probably would not drive fares higher.

Likewise, Boeing, the nation’s only producer of large passenger jets now that it has bought McDonnell Douglas, said that it supports the FAA’s action, although it added that properly maintained older planes pose no safety risks.

But consumer groups said that the FAA could do more to improve fire prevention and suppression systems on airliners. A fire of unknown origin apparently caused the crash of Swissair Flight 111 in the seas off Nova Scotia last month, killing all 229 people aboard.

The average age of aircraft now flown by U.S. carriers is 16 years, a figure expected to rise to 18 to 20 years within the next decade.

The new FAA plan is patterned on an existing program that improved structural inspections of older aircraft after the cabin roof of an Aloha Airlines Boeing 737 sheared off during a routine flight in 1988.

The plan calls for a mix of new government regulations, voluntary safety measures by the airlines and a research effort aimed at reducing the risk of electrical fires.

A voluntary program of upgraded inspections got underway this summer under the sponsorship of the Air Transport Assn., which represents the airline industry.

Later this year, the FAA will propose new design rules to prevent fuel system wiring from becoming the source of a potentially catastrophic spark. In May, following the discovery of worn wires on Boeing 737s, the FAA asked carriers to inspect all aircraft for fuel tank wiring problems.

Garvey said that the new rules are intended to prevent power surges to devices that measure the fuel level in the tank. The requirements, already in place for older Boeing 747s, will be applied to all other types of aircraft.

Finally, the FAA plan calls for a five-year research effort to improve electrical safety. One goal is to develop a system that can shut off power in a circuit if a spark or surge is detected. Another is to determine whether airlines should be required to replace wiring after a jetliner reaches a certain age.

The TWA disaster occurred when the Boeing 747’s center fuel tank apparently exploded shortly after takeoff from New York, killing all 230 people aboard. Investigators have not determined the cause of the explosion, but a wiring problem is one possible explanation.

FAA officials maintained that the TWA Flight 800 tragedy was not the reason for their focus on wiring. They said that their work was spurred by a recommendation before the crash by a safety and security panel chaired by Vice President Al Gore.

The announcement came on the day that airlines, compelled by federal regulations, began asking international passengers to identify their next of kin before their flights. Eventually, passengers on domestic flights may be asked for contact information as well, Transportation Department officials said.