The U.S. Federal Aviation Authority Tuesday said it found structural cracks on at least two of AMR Corp’s American Airlines’ fleet of Boeing 767 wide-body planes during recent safety checks.
The FAA said cracks could have caused engines to fall from aircraft.
The cracks were discovered on engine pylons on three of American’s 73 767s. An AMR spokesman, however, said the cracks appeared on only two planes.
“We are working with the carrier and the manufacturer to identify the source of the cracking and to develop remedies,” an FAA spokeswoman said. “We are also considering additional action, including requiring more frequent inspections of the engine pylon area.”
A Boeing Co BA.N spokesman was not immediately available for comment.
AMR said inspectors found the cracks while working on another part of the planes. The inspection that ordinarily would have found such cracks was not yet due.
“This is how maintenance is done,” said AMR spokesman Tim Wagner. “We caught these when they should be caught, in fact earlier than the inspection cycle would have mandated. So that’s the way you want to find them.”
Shares of AMR were down 1.8 percent at $8.09 on the New York Stock Exchange. Shares of Boeing were down 2 cents at $67.95 on NYSE.
Hopefully AMR no longer installs large turbine engines with forklifts. Some of us still remember AA193.