Boeing: US aviation regulator investigates after ‘engine incident’

Is the American manufacturer in turmoil again? The FAA has launched an investigation following a problem Thursday night on a Southwest Boeing 737 that reported an “engine incident” just before takeoff.

“Southwest Airlines Flight 1928 canceled takeoff and returned to the terminal at Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport, Texas (…) after the crew reported engine problems,” the regulator said, adding that the incident occurred around 5:45 p.m. local time (12:45 in Paris). “The FAA will investigate,” she said.

Following a series of incidents and technical problems in recent months, the organization has launched a review of Boeing’s quality control. In early March, it indicated that “non-compliance issues” had been identified in the production controls of the aviator and its subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems.

“Fire in the left engine”

The Southwest plane was scheduled to fly to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada. The airline said crew on the 737-800 NG (Next Generation), the version preceding the 737 MAX, “received an indication of a possible engine problem.” According to a recording of conversations between the control tower and the cockpit, available on a specialized website and seen by AFP, the pilot mentions “overheating brakes” and “a fire in the left engine.”

The flight was “safely aborted” and “the aircraft returned to the gate under its own power,” continued the company, which flew 154 passengers to their destination Thursday night aboard a different device. The City of Lubbock said in a separate statement that the crew reported an “engine fire” and that city firefighters were mobilized as a precaution. “None of the passengers were injured,” she said.

In addition, the American regulator is investigating another incident that occurred with a Southwest plane that was supposed to land on March 23 at LaGuardia Airport in New York, but was diverted to Baltimore-Washington Airport. “Southwest Flight 147 (…) encountered turbulence and poor visibility” while landing in New York, the airline said in a statement sent to AFP.

In turn, the FAA clarified that “the air traffic controller instructed the crew of Southwest Flight 147, which deviated from its trajectory due to bad weather, to perform a missed approach” at about 13:00 local time (19:00 Paris time). . She said he was diverted to the Baltimore airport, where he “landed safely.” He came from Nashville, Tennessee. The regulator has launched an investigation that should allow, in particular, to “determine whether the aircraft flew over the control tower at LaGuardia.”