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The Federal Aviation Administration chief said on Sunday he was demanding “immediate or intensified inspections” of all Boeing 777s fitted with a particular Pratt & Whitney engine model a day after the jet suffered a dramatic engine failure at over Colorado.
Also on Sunday, United Airlines, the only US carrier affected by the FAA order, said it was temporarily grounding the 24 Boeing 777s currently in use in its fleet with Pratt & Whitney engines.
The FAA’s announcement came shortly after its Japanese counterpart ordered airlines to stop flying the plane, affecting 32 jets operated by All Nippon Airways and Japan Airways. Japanese and US orders apply only to Boeing 777s equipped with Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engines.
“We have reviewed all of the safety data available after yesterday’s incident,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a statement. “Based on the initial information, we concluded that the inspection interval should be increased for the hollow fan blades which are unique to this engine model, used only on Boeing 777 aircraft.”
The episode in Colorado, involving United Airlines Flight 328 on Saturday, was no injuries, but the plane threw debris in three neighborhoods before landing safely in Denver.
In a statement on Sunday, United said “safety remains our top priority – for our employees and our customers.” He continued, “This is why our pilots and flight attendants undergo extensive training to prepare for and manage incidents like United Flight 328. And we remain proud of their professionalism and unwavering dedication to safety in our day-to-day operations. and in an emergency as it happens. “
Mr Dickson said the FAA was working with counterparts around the world and said its safety experts were meeting “in the evening” with Pratt & Whitney and Boeing to complete the details of the required inspections. Only airlines in the United States, Japan and South Korea operate Boeing 777s with the affected Pratt & Whitney PW4000 engine model, according to the agency.
A spokesperson for Japan Airways said the airline had already stopped using the 13 Boeing 777s in its fleet equipped with the engine before the airline authority issued its directive. Only three scheduled flights were affected. Last year, the airline announced that it plans to withdraw all 13 planes from its fleet early next year.
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