11/8/2009
FAA Investigating Screws Replacing Bulkhead Rivets on Passenger Aircraft

NBCDFW.com published pictures of an American Airlines plane with what appears to be ordinary Phillips screws replacing aircraft rivets that hold the plane’s skin together.

The plane is parked in an aircraft graveyard in the New Mexico desert.
NBCDFW.com reporter Scott Friedman obtained the pictures from an airline industry source.

American Airlines told NBCDFW.com that the screws are approved aircraft-quality parts, rather than those from a hardware store and were installed just to move the plane to be retired.

Safety consultant Denny Kelly told NBCDFW.com that screwheads located near the rear pressure bulkhead could start cracking around the screw hole. From there a crack could spread.

The rear pressure bulkhead keeps the cabin pressurized in flight and failure could lead to rapid depressurization and potentially damage the plane.

Federal inspectors are investigating if the plane carried passengers in the condition or was retired to keep it out of sight from inspectors.

The airline responded that the screw-like fasteners were installed just to move the plane to the desert to be retired.

NBCDFW.com reported that a preliminary FAA report found 16 other American Airlines planes with substandard repairs to pressure bulkheads.

American issued a statement saying “the fasteners in question were aerospace quality, American voluntarily self-disclosed the discrepancy to the FAA, and the airplanes were removed from revenue service until inspections and appropriate maintenance actions were accomplished, Any actions or precautions taken during that time, whether airplane movements or repairs, were done with the highest level of safety in mind.” ©2009 GlobalFastenerNews.com