Emergency landing after row of seats comes loose

[dfw gen]

Naw, if there was any accountability then they couldn't blame the pesky bricks in the back pack.

 

[nbmcg01]

Rogallo: Exactly my point....no ethical mechanic would sabotage an aircraft. Not sabotage but is this the "fault" of out-sourcing? Obviously, something happened and with the recent bad press, AA doesn't need this happening EVER..

 

[AANOTOK]

Someone suggested in a round-about way that AA should have found the loose seats when the plane was accepted back from the contractor?

You're not suggesting that "e" would...lordy lordy

 

[limit]

It happened before... on a MD80 out of check in tulsa a couple of years ago.
As a result all seat installations are a mandatory QA buyback now.

 

[Frank Szabo]

Who accepts the work when it comes back from Timco?

Doubtless, someone who won't lose their job over a major screw-up - at least a manager re: food chain position.

What I don't understand is how, with all the required paperwork and signatures, this a/c made it into service - you know - "If the paper's right, the ship is tight" crap. [sharedmedia=core:attachments:9458]


Paperwork simply provides someone's name to blame after an incident. It prevents accidents about as well as a camera in a convenience keeps a clerk from getting shot while being robbed.


In all seriousness, I'm thankful nobody was hurt.

 

[FWAAA]

That outsourcing don't seem to be working to well so far. Wonder how well China does 777's ?

HAECO in Hong Kong (technically China, but not mainland China) has been maintaining CO and UA widebodies for years. No doubt they'll have difficulties overhauling AA's 777s.

 

[Deleted member 14439]

Aircraft was ots on 9/21 in Tul for powerport....

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

It happened before... on a MD80 out of check in tulsa a couple of years ago.
As a result all seat installations are a mandatory QA buyback now.

I remember doing interior inspections after seat row installs. I would grab every row and lift, pull, and shake as hard as I could, then sign off the inspected box. (I also did that after I installed seats, even though I was never really an interior guy, we sometimes would get called in at the end of a check to gang install seats to get the A/C out). I would occasionally find one that would wiggle. They got tightened up.

No way seats come loose unless they were not checked after the install.

 

[eolesen]

Someone suggested in a round-about way that AA should have found the loose seats when the plane was accepted back from the contractor?

I'm more curious who is overseeing the work. Did AA put anyone onsite, or are they just trusting a signature on the work-card? The only way outsourcing something like this works is when there's reasonable oversight by the client.

 

[Glenn Quagmire]

I'm more curious who is overseeing the work. Did AA put anyone onsite, or are they just trusting a signature on the work-card? The only way outsourcing something like this works is when there's reasonable oversight by the client.

I am sure they have a "Farm-out" manager (or 2) on site to oversee the check work. That is mostly a paperwork oversight position. That is how it was done at NWA vendor sites. It would be impossible for someone to find a loose row of seats unless he/she was an actual part of the work team (AMT/Inspector). It is highly unlikely that an actual AA manager is buying off individual work cards of a vendor (like a seat install task card).

The vendor's program is an FAA approved stand-alone program.

The FAA is getting AA to answer your question right now I am sure.

 

[Birdman]

No way seats come loose unless they were not checked after the install.

Ditto, I can't imagine any competent mechanic leaving a seat he did not visually ensure had been secured. You can't even tighten the latch if it is not properly aligned with the holes in the seat track. Major incompetence.

 

[FWAAA]

AA to inspect eight 757s for possible seat track issues:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-10-01/american-plane-s-loose-seats-spur-inquiry-by-airline-faa-1-.html?cmpid=yhoo

 

[MCI transplant]

I'm more curious who is overseeing the work. Did AA put anyone onsite, or are they just trusting a signature on the work-card? The only way outsourcing something like this works is when there's reasonable oversight by the client.

I've worked with Tech Reps from other airlines, and as stated, they are more interested in keeping the paperwork straight, and keeping their costs down, than following an AMT around. The bottom line here is someone screwed up! And the last person who signed off for installing that seat, and the inspector who bought it off, are the people the FAA will want to talk to!----- As it should be!------ Good Luck on that one! Just another example of the responsablity taken, vrs. compensation given!----- As stated many times in this forum, that ratio is way out of balance!

 

[FWAAA]

I remember doing interior inspections after seat row installs. I would grab every row and lift, pull, and shake as hard as I could, then sign off the inspected box. (I also did that after I installed seats, even though I was never really an interior guy, we sometimes would get called in at the end of a check to gang install seats to get the A/C out). I would occasionally find one that would wiggle. They got tightened up.

No way seats come loose unless they were not checked after the install.

I always wondered what the people behind me were doing when they'd grab my seat and shake it violently during the flight. Turns out they may have been checking to make sure my row was securely bolted to the floor.

From now on, I can just picture passengers doing that when they board - "just to make sure."

 

[MCI transplant]

AA to inspect eight 757s for possible seat track issues:

http://www.bloomberg...html?cmpid=yhoo

This is what is know in the Industry as " Cover thy tailfeathers!"