Aloha Airlines ordered to inspect Boeing 737s
Some of the newer aircraft could have loose wing parts
Star-Bulletin staff
Aloha Airlines is one of eight U.S. carriers that has been ordered to inspect newer Boeing Co. 737s for possible loose parts following a fire that destroyed a China Airlines plane last week.
The airlines have 24 days to check a portion of the 737 wings for loose or missing parts, said Les Dorr, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. The requirement issued by the FAA covers 783 Boeing 737s operated by U.S. carriers, he said.
A loose wing-slat bolt that punctured the fuel tank was the likely cause of the Aug. 20 fire on a China Airlines Boeing 737-800, trade publication Air Transport World reported last week, citing Japanese safety investigators. All 165 passengers and crew members escaped before the fire, which began after the plane landed in Okinawa.
Aloha spokesman Stu Glauberman said all eight of the company's 737-700s are affected by the FAA directive and will be inspected by tomorrow. Aloha also flies 13 737-200 for its interisland routes, but those aircraft were not affected by the order.
Boeing 737 models covered by the inspection order also are operated by Southwest Airlines Co., AMR Corp.'s America Airlines, Delta Air Lines Inc., Continental Airlines Inc., AirTran Holdings Inc., Alaska Air Group Inc. and ATA Holdings Corp.