The Federal Aviation Administration has mandated that airlines inspect Boeing 767s to prevent an issue that could cause the type’s main landing gear to collapse.
The move marks the regulator’s response to a problem that Boeing addressed with a bulletin sent to operators in February last year.
In a newly finalised airworthiness directive (AD), the FAA says a 767 suffered a main landing gear failure after having undergone maintenance involving improper use of a grinder.
“A grinder was used outside of its input parameters, resulting in possible heat damage to the outer cylinder of the [main landing gear],” says the AD, which takes effect on 12 February.
It applies to 574 US-registered 767s, including 767-200s, 767-300s and 767-300 Freighters.
The AD, which finalises a proposed rule released by the FAA in June last year, says heat damage could leave the gear unable to sustain intended load limits. It requires operators address the risk by completing steps detailed in Boeing’s February operator bulletin.
That bulletin calls on airlines within 30 months to inspect 767s to determine if the jets have certain main landing gear outer cylinders, and to inspect for heat damage. It says airlines should replace affected parts within 30-130 months, depending on which components the jets have.
The FAA’s order is not more specific about the problem, nor does it disclose details about the gear-collapse incident.
