Non-Structural Systems Safety

Non-Structural Systems Safety
Non-structural systems safety issues became a top-priority focus during the four-year probe of a TWA 747 that exploded in flight, and were declared more urgent after a latent fire burned through a Swissair MD-11's flight controls, causing the plane to crash during an emergency landing attempt. Investigators never definitively identified the ignition source that started the break-up of the 25-year-old Boeing 747-100 in flight on July 17, 1996, but they concluded that the explosion was triggered by an onboard failure - most likely a short - that found its way into the plane's vapor-packed center fuel tank. Their findings underscored the seriousness of issues like wire degradation in the world transport fleet. The Sept. 2, 1998 Swissair accident (pictured, reconstruction phase of probe), which is still under investigation, shed light on the dangers of onboard fires and how they can spread throughout an aircraft. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other civil authorities have issued dozens of rules in the past few years aimed at reducing the risk of flammable fuel/air mixtures and ignition sources as well as improving electrical system safety on old and new airliners, and more are on the way. Safety agencies like the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board - which counts reduction of flammable mixtures in aircraft fuel tanks as one of its 10 most-wanted safety improvements - want even more done.


Safety Board Calls For Fuel Tank Safety ( May--15-2002 )

In-Flight Firefighting Preparedness Needs Improvement, NTSB Says ( Jan--08-2002 )

Canada Calls For Higher Flammability Standards In Swissair 111 Aftermath ( Aug--28-2001 )

Aviation Daily: ARAC Is Advised Fuel Tank Inerting Not Cost-Effective ( Aug--09-2001 )

U.S. Spells Out Data Needed For Wiring-Related Mod Approvals ( Jul--02-2001 )

U.S. Spells Out New Fuel System Requirements ( May--04-2001 )

Thai Explosion Leads To U.S. Rule On 737 Fuel Pump Procedures ( Apr--25-2001 )

Thai Probe Focuses On Fuel-Tank Safety Issues ( Apr--11-2001 )

Safety Board Finalizes TWA 800 Findings ( Jan--18-2001 )

TWA 800 Recommendations Focus On Improving Wiring Safety ( Aug--23-2000 )

Dec. 97: FAA Moves On TWA 800-Related ADs ( Aug--18-2000 )