FAA Rule Targets Fuel Tanks on 737s

The Federal Aviation Administration ordered airlines to shut off fuel pumps on Boeing 737s when there is a low level of fuel in the center tank. Fuel tanks have been blamed for an explosion last month aboard a Thai Airways 737 and for the 1996 destruction of TWA Flight 800, a Boeing 747.

The Thai plane exploded on the tarmac in Bangkok, Thailand. One crew member was killed and seven other airline staff were injured.

The FAA’s action comes four years after the National Transportation Safety Board made a similar recommendation after Flight 800 crashed into the ocean July 17, 1996, shortly after takeoff from New York. All 230 people aboard died.

Under the rules, pilots must turn off the center fuel pump if there is less than 1,000 pounds of fuel in the tank. In addition, the pump must be turned off when the low fuel pressure indicators are lighted. Otherwise, the pump could overheat, increasing the chance of a fire.