Damaged United Jet Catches Fire After Flying Without Repairs
- Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:25pm by
Meredith Jessup
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WASHINGTON (AP) — A United Airlines plane with 112 people aboard was allowed to take off last May without repairs despite indications during two previous flights that the cockpit window was overheating, a condition long known to cause fires, according to evidence gathered by federal investigators.
The Boeing 757 was about 30 minutes into a flight from New York to San Francisco, and had just leveled off at 36,000 feet, when pilots said they heard a hissing noise followed seconds later by 14- to 16-inch flames shooting from the cockpit window near the captain, documents recently released by the National Transportation Safety Board show.
Capt. Boyd Hammack, who had been flying the plane, told investigators he got out of his seat, grabbed a Halon fire extinguisher and put out the flames. But he said they quickly reignited. A flight attendant brought him a second fire extinguisher, which he emptied on the flames, putting them out again.
Shortly before making an emergency landing at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, the inner pane of the window in front of Hammack shattered, the documents show. He turned over control of the plane to the first officer, who safely landed the aircraft.
Another United captain who had flown the same plane earlier that day told investigators he reported fumes and an overheated electrical connection when he landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, according a summary of his interview with investigators.
Capt. Robert Caponetti told investigators he showed a mechanic an electrical connection at the window on the captain’s side of the cockpit that appeared blackened or charred and was hot. He also said the plane had made an unscheduled landing in Las Vegas the previous day because of smoke and fumes in the cockpit.
The mechanic, also interviewed by investigators, said he OK‘d the plane to fly without repairs because United’s maintenance manual says planes can be flown another 50 hours after a blackened or burned window heater electrical connector had been found. A blackened, burned or hot electrical connection is a sign of uncontained electricity, which can cause fires.
“We did a full inspection and believed the plane was flight worthy,” United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said.
Federal aviation officials have known for years that cockpit window heaters in some Boeing planes catch fire. But prior to the United incident they hadn’t required airlines to fix the problem, even after dozens of incidents that unnerved pilots and, in many cases, forced emergency landings.
Accident investigators had traced the problem to a simple loose screw. NTSB has urged the Federal Aviation Administration since 2004 to require airlines to replace the windows with a new design.
Nearly two months after the United incident, FAA ordered airlines to inspect the cockpit window heaters on 1,212 Boeing airliners. But the order doesn’t require airlines to replace the windows unless evidence of damage is found.
The order also gives airlines a choice of installing windows of the same design or the new design. Carriers that choose old design replacements must continue to inspect windows at regular intervals.
McCarthy said United has complied with FAA’s order for inspections and is replacing windows with the new design “when they are up for replacement.” She said she didn’t know what would trigger a replacement.
United has also made “enhancements to our maintenance program,” she said.
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Comments (87)
ZaphodsPlanet
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 10:36pmSmoking is not allowed on flights any more, and I think that even goes for the captain.
Nice to see the FAA is working hard to keep us so safe…. NOT. And I can’t believe…. 50 freaking hours after they have spotted that it’s charred… what in the hell???? Oh…. we probably need to give them more money, or the Union a-holes at United are about to strike…. I’ll never freaking fly United ever again, I don’t give a crap that the FAA thinks 50 hours is plenty of time to let the burning wires covered in teflon…. BTW….. I’m pretty sure inhaling burning teflon is probably worse than smoking a carton of cigarettes.
Report Post »Bob_R_OathKeeper
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 10:13pmWhen I was flown to Bahrain, during Desert Storm, our plane was warming the engines and the left one caught fire while we were on the ground in Rome, God was with us that day for sure. Semper Fi.
Report Post »Carbine1
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 10:10pmIsn’t All airline employees Union. There we go lazy bumms setting on their ass making $100,000 a year. Vote their commy leaders OUT in 2012. Get rid of the Pig in Washington.
Report Post »CanteenBoy
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:57pmAre there unions involved here? Hmmm…..
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:52pmMaybe the mechanis test are getting dumbed down to so more people can get jobs fixing airplanes…what do you think? Can’t happen? Ok, go back to sleep now :)
Report Post »obama_binpharteen
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:42pmI suspect this incident was due to the mechanic checking the oil, Probably forgot to re-insert the dipstick…
Report Post »Tnredneck
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 10:18pmHe wuzz the dipstick!
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:41pmjust wondering how much the union bosses had to do with them continuing to fly. are they not all union,mechanics, pilots, flight attendants ,baggage handlers, and of course, the gropers ??? just saying unions control the airlines.
Report Post »ICANHANDLETHETRUTH
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:38pmAre the mechanics union ??? Just wondering …………….
Report Post »Cherynn
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:39pmUnited is a Chicago based company,,,,,,what would you think?
Report Post »commonsenseguy
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:43pmi think we all ask that question at the same time,and got the answer at the same time. yep.unions are in charge.
Report Post »Cherynn
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:35pmunion maintained, union proud. union,,,,,,on the job for your safety. Thays why uzzzzz guyzzzz make the big bucks. keeping the worthless employed for decades!
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:41pmWhoopie.
Report Post »Friscokid320
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:29pmThe FAA and more importantly, the POI (Principal Operations Inspector) or MOI (Maintenace Operations Inspector) for an airline sets the requirements for a deferred maintenance item lists. This is called the Minium Equipment List (MEL). The airline must comply with those directives. If a maintenance discrepancy is found by any crewmember, the appropriate personnel are notified to rectify the maintenance issue. A very large book, called the MEL, is read concerning the pertinent aircraft system and determined if a maintenance issue must be repaired immediately or can be deferred. Obviously, by learning of the circumstance regarding the United Boeing aircraft, this issue could be deferred for later repairs. Now going forward, I suspect repairs concerning windshields will be required to be repaired immediately. The changes will be made to the MEL book and we won’t hear from this issue again. Your pilots are professionals and as such want to go home to their family and loved ones like you do. We don’t take chances and adhere to a professional standards that most of you cannot fathom much less grasp the magnitude of the important decisions that are made numerous times during a flight. We do what we do because we are good at it. Mechanics that work on aircraft are highly skilled and trained individuals. The last thing they want is an aircraft to go down after they have performed maintenance. They comply with the same rules the FAA mandates. If they don’t, they lose their license and their ability to make a living. Not to mention, the dibilitating guilt that will surely follow if they are found at fault in an aircraft accident. The press, in their lack of infinite wisdom are selling news. Please consider the source. You can’t possibly cover the full logistics of running an airline in a few short paragraphs. It just can’t be done.
Report Post »CanteenBoy
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 10:07pmThanks for some ground-based reality.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 23, 2011 at 1:04amSorry, Captain. I forgot that in this world of technology, there would actually be some human beings up front to fly the flaming thing! (Sorry about the “flaming.” Couldn’t resist!) Thank you. That was very thoughtful of you to explain all that.
Now, if you could just do something about those pesky scans and groping, we would all appreciate it.
Report Post »ksagpilot
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:20pmThe only airplane I fly on is one where I’m Pilot in Command. I don‘t trust the Airlines maintenance and I don’t want to be felt up to get on a death trap.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:33pmMy husband was bipolar, and he decided to buy an airplane. I asked him when I started my flying lessons. He told me I didn’t need flying lessons, that he knew how to fly. I told him I wasn’t getting into anything moving unless I knew how to operate it. He was prone to going to sleep at the help of the sailboat, and I danged sure was not getting into a PLANE without at least knowing how to land it.
I’m sorry, but I’m an independent little old lady!
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:36pmnot at the help — at the helm of the sailboat.
Report Post »grandma7
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:13pmHad to go to Italy in 09 to help family. Took a ship there and back.
Report Post »Same trip, this year is $449. Tell me Air is cheaper than sea = NOT.
temple62
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:09pmFirst the TSA hassle then fire on the plane – can air travel get any worse?
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:17pmNot unless you’re from ARIZONA!
Report Post »(tee hee)
Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:34pmTemple, the AZ Flag was up there for a minute.
Report Post »AmericanStrega
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:57pmWe quit flying years ago. If I want to go somewhere I’ll take my chances driving on the highway.
Report Post »Salamander
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:54pmBelieve me, there is nothing less fun that having to sit there at 30,000 feet after just calling the attention of a flight attendant to the burning smell of an electrical fire! Been there, done that! Hopefully, NEVER AGAIN!!!
Report Post »Salamander
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:52pmWas there an entry in the logbook? Why would the pilot take to the air AFTER identifying such a problem? Was there a cover up? (Exiting crew’s remarks NOT being passed along to incoming crew?) If so, there should be a criminal investigation!!! It REALLY ****** ME OFF that as much as we pay in tickets, as much crap as we put up with as passengers, that THIS LEVEL OF INCOMPETENCE is displayed by a professional pilot, an airline, licensed mechanics, UNITED, etc. The flying public deserves better!!!
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:21pmTSA — WHERE was the TSA? Why does the TSA have to pick on the passengers? TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on March 23, 2011 at 9:41amShowtime, the TSA is too busy groping granny to be bothered with such minutia.
Report Post »TommyGunn
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:47pmmental note to self, never fly united airlines!
Report Post »Tnredneck
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:58pmMental note to self. Don’t read the trolls post.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:27pmmental note to self — laugh at the quips.
Report Post »KenInIL
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:41pmWhat’s the big deal??? Nobody died. The plane didn’t crash and burn. Driving to work every day we see cars engulfed in flames on the highway – Why aren’t these reported on here?? Most times they don’t even get much of a mention from the traffic reporter. We get a headline when an airliner blows a tire on landing, but what about all the tire fixers on the highway. Not news.
Report Post »Salamander
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:57pmYeah, and when they blow a tire on landing (or better, on takeoff), they don’t have to worry about being hit by a truck while they are changing it at night in the rain!
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:25pmWhat’s the big deal? WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?
Report Post »The damned thing caught on fire, with 112 passengers aboard!!
That’s a (what was it Joe Biden said to Obama?)!
Oathkeeper1775
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:41pmThats why paratroopers jump OUT of airplanes…….
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:22pmAnd all this time I thought it was the shortcut to the bar!
Report Post »mrsmileyface
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:35pmSo I watched this story on Fox News and Im NEVER GOING TO FLY AGAIN! I cant believe I heard that the repair engineer said that the burnt frayed wiring in the cockpit window heaters were good for another 55 hours of flight time. I liken this moment to the scene in Airplane 2 where the “Sarge” is holding burnt wiring and calls the tower to say this whole thing stinks of kickback and the boys on the board say “Screw Em!!”
Salamander
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:55pmHeck, you ought to see their response to a fuel leak!
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:16pmWhile I was in the engine room one day, I noticed that the 30-amp connection on our sailboat was black on the inside. I told my husband that I was not going anywhere on that boat until he had the connection replaced, or he could sail WITHOUT me. My thinking was that, if the thing caught fire, it was our winter home on the water that would go up in smoke. He groused, but he had it repaired. Had to listen to that from Daytona Beach to Marathon, Florida (at about 5 mph). That was a long trip, but I slept well.
Ya think I’m getting on a plane after reading this story?
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:34pmWell, “Oops!” just doesn’t cut it, guys! What if this had been an overseas flight, or one that could not land readily? Who’s in charge of our safety? WE ARE! Thank GOD this was not a horrible fatality. Flight crews: do your own homework. Passengers as well. ASK BEFORE you board a plane, “Have there been ANY problems with this particular aircraft in the past 24 hours? week? month?”
Report Post »mossbrain
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:51pmYeah I agree, every passenger should be allowed to bring their own tire pressure guage to check the tires and should also be allowed to put their hands in front of the jet engines when they are turned on to judge if they are drawing the proper amount of air.
Report Post »Bob_R_OathKeeper
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 10:08pmMothBrain, you need a tire pressure gauge for your head, seems to be getting low on air, better check it.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:34pmOkay. Between that and the TSA, scans and pat downs, they won’t have to worry about me!
Report Post »Tnredneck
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:55pmI’ll take my chances on the ground thank you!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:23pmMe too .. it is “only” 23 Hours and 1457 miles each way for my “vacation” … I will drive!
Report Post »ISeeDanger.com
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:33pmGreat, just booked a flight too.
http://www.ISeeDanger.com
Report Post »mossbrain
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:47pmI had a dream last night of a united Airlines plane bursting into flames, every single passenger becoming a ball of fire, burning alive and screaming and kicking until the plane crashed killing everyone on board. Just a dream, hardly anything to worry about.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:08pmDo you know how to pack a suitcase and drive?
Report Post »Rearden Steel
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:27pmI’ve long considered myself a land mammal.
Report Post »marine249
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 10:13pmthis happened last may
Report Post »what else happened last
may we don’t know about
Wasted_away_again_in_Obamaville
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:32pmAren’t airline mechanics unionized? Must have been their break time..
Report Post »Fina Biscotti
Posted on March 23, 2011 at 4:45amUnionized – with ILLEGAL ALIENS working.
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:31pmYou do know that fire extinguishers are available for a small fee.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:35pmAnd earth is to walk on and drive on.
Report Post »joseph Fawcett
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:40pmIt is a shame that the company has to wait until the Goverment have to tell them how to maintain a safe plane. This feeds into the “need” of large Goverment and lack of self goverance. This is a shame to the airline and should never of happened. The Maintenace guy should have been layed off or fired. Oh, they are union workers so they can’t be.
http://www.josephfawcettart.com western artist
NeoFan
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:40pmUnited? Wow. big shocker there.
Report Post »Maybe we should give them like a 5th or 6th government bailout so they can keep ruining the free market and not go out of business.
mattwakulik
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:44pmhaha. good one!
Report Post »hersey10
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:47pmEnact the moratorium on U.S. flights immediately . Except for Air Force 1 of course , they have vacations booked already .
Report Post »walkwithme1966
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:50pmProbably union workers who didn’t want to fix the window – someone should be fired for this but they won’t! http://wp.me/pYLB7-LC
Report Post »MODEL82A1
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 8:53pmIs it just me or is there a very select cast of characters constantly here on The Blaze Comment section?
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:06pmhhhhhmmmmmm it looks like WALKWITHME is slowly catching on………………….maybe
Report Post »CatB
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:20pmYes .. while they a charging up the wazoooo for anything and everything .. and profits are up .. they are skimping on safety .. add to that TSA and their proctology exams —- WHY does ANYONE FLY? I sure don’t!
Report Post »roast
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:22pmHe know Obamas real idenity.That is why we are there.
Report Post »APatriotFirst
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:24pmWay opff topic here…………is being reported that those fighting against Gadaffi in Libya are part od Al Quada.
So now we are helping our Allah Akbar guys
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 9:35pmUnion workers plan to crash the stock market….err I mena a plame?
Report Post »jzs
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 10:03pmwalkwithme1966, I hope you’re being sarcastic. Airlines must adhere to FAA regulations, but those who enforce those regulations on a day to day basis are employees of the airlines. The FAA, or any government agency, doesn’t have people sitting around at airport terminals making sure that airlines are following the regulations. If anything, the article shows that “the government” is allowing the industry to regulate itself.
This article is disingenuously phrased to blame the FAA, but the airlines are responsible for the safety of their planes. That’s what conservatives want right? To let industries regulate themselves? And if we let them they’ll make decisions that benefit everyone, even if they have to sacrifice profits doing so.
This shows the opposite. The key phrase in the article above was “A United Airlines plane with 112 people aboard was allowed to take off …” Who allowed them to take off? United did, that’s who.
Report Post »GONESURFING
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 10:14pmDoesn’t exactly inspire confidence in flying these days, or in the airlines, especially United.
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 10:14pmGood Lord. Now the NYTimes are saying Glen Beck is going to start his own channel.
Report Post »drbage
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 10:48pmAnd you are requested to order one at the time of booking.
Report Post »YankeeBlue
Posted on March 22, 2011 at 11:34pm@NEOFAN
“United? Wow. big shocker there. Maybe we should give them like a 5th or 6th government bailout so they can keep ruining the free market and not go out of business.”
Wait a minute… I recall the $15 billion or so bailout fund after Sept. 11, but that went not only to United but to several airlines who lost business due to FAA grounding of flights. United applied for $1.8 billion in federal loan guarantees in 2002 and was DENIED by the Bush administration (correctly, I might add) and eventually filed under Chapter 11 for bankruptcy protection.
Where are these other three or four bailouts you speak of?? Were the other airlines not as guilty or was it just United??
Report Post »NeoFan
Posted on March 23, 2011 at 1:19am@YankeeBlue: I stand corrected only one govt bailout. I guess I just thought an airline that has been such a crappy airline would have lost too many customers to stay in business without several bailouts. I guess the flying public is dumber than I thought. (They do tolerate the TSA)
Report Post »I stopped flying them about 15 years ago after they cost me over ten thousand dollars on a contract when they lied to me about getting me to my connection on time.
I know it was my own fault for trusting them.
Oh well I guess I can look forward to their second bailout or maybe to their failure. (I hope)
RoguePatriot
Posted on March 23, 2011 at 10:35amThis is why I always fly Southwest. They do not charge baggage fees and when is the last time you heard of an incident from them!
Report Post »encinom
Posted on March 23, 2011 at 1:07pmWhat did we learn today class, that without government regulations and oversight, corporation will place profit above safety. Each passenger on a plane is assigned a risk value should the plane crash. For the corporation it about weight dollar signs with little care for the safety of the passengers.
I wonder if the FAA budget is being slashed, we don’t need airplane safety.
Report Post »