Outsourced Maintenance To Blame... Or Airbus?

The Chicago Tribune reports United Airlines has found crossed landing-gear wires which may have interfered with anti-skid systems in two recent incidents involving Airbus A320 airliners. The inspections were part of a recent FAA audit of maintenance operations at 118 US airlines, ordered after the recent issue with missed fatigue-crack inspections on Southwest Airlines 737s.

In United's case, one A320 veered from a runway into a snow bank February 25 at Jackson Hole, WY, as ANN reported. The airplane came to rest on its landing gear at about a 90 degree angle to the runway in snow about three feet deep. An initial examination of the aircraft revealed no readily visible signs of structural damage or evidence of fire.

Another A320 veered off a runway and hit airport lights October 9, 2007 after landing at Chicago's O'Hare International. No one was seriously injured in either incident.

Bloomberg reports the National Transportation Safety Board and officials with United are now working to answer a question which will certainly prove embarrassing to someone --  was the wiring mistake was made by mechanics, or the factory?

Airbus issued a preemptive statement. In an e-mail, spokesman Clay McConnell said the manufacturer recommends maintenance procedures that include "...a process to verify that the wiring is properly aligned. We are confident that adherence to the Airbus procedures will ensure that no aircraft re-enters service with improperly aligned wiring."

FMI: www.united.com