Boeing Traces Improperly Assembled Engine-Fire Extinguishers to Supplier's Bottles
No 'Safety-of-Flight Issue,' Jet Maker Says, Because of Redundant SystemsBy
Boeing Co.
BA -1.37% says it has traced the improperly assembled engine-fire extinguishers on 787 Dreamliners to the manufacturing of bottles at a supplier's facility.
Dreamliner operators have been conducting inspections recommended by Boeing of engine fire-extinguishing systems after three
All Nippon Airways 9202.TO +0.48% jets were found to be improperly configured. An ANA 787 flight on Wednesday returned to its gate after the crew received a caution indication. Inspectors later found that the fire extinguisher nozzles were routed to the wrong engines.
European Pressphoto Agen
Boeing 787s congregating at Tokyo International Airport earlier this year; Boeing fingered a supplier for the improperly wired fire-extinguishing systems found on a number of 787s
The plane maker said in a written statement that the improper assembly, which has been confirmed to have been found on three ANA jets in Japan, "does not present a safety of flight issue because the bottles are not the only means of fire extinguishing for engines and there are multiple redundancies within the fire extinguishing system.
A Boeing spokeswoman said activating the 787's engine fire- extinguishing system "does not disable or impact [the engine's] performance."
"Regardless, improperly configured components are not acceptable and this issue is being addressed promptly," said the company's statement. "Boeing will follow standard disciplined procedures to understand how this discrepancy occurred and ensure it is not repeated."
United Continental Holdings Inc., which operates seven 787s, found "at least one" jet with improperly assembled extinguishers, according to one person familiar with its inspections.
A spokeswoman for United declined to comment on the airline's inspections, which continued Thursday.
Write to Jon Ostrower at
[email protected]