Plane from DFW flew on to Paris after panel fell off
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
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American Airlines is investigating an incident last month in which a panel fell off the fuselage of a Boeing 767 airplane during a flight from Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to Paris.
Airline officials said that passengers were never in danger during the April 20 incident, which occurred just a week after American grounded its fleet of MD-80 jets for inspections, a move that caused 3,300 cancellations nationwide. And they said pilots made the right decision to continue flying to Paris after hearing loud noises and vibration when the panel dislodged.
But it comes amid criticism from some members of Congress that the airline industry and the Federal Aviation Administration have let safety standards slip in recent years, particularly when it comes to inspections.
Planes have been grounded for additional checks at American, Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines and other carriers in recent weeks, and federal safety regulators say they are stepping up scrutiny.
In the April 20 incident, the first sign of trouble came when the crew heard a loud noise and felt vibrations after takeoff, when the aircraft was at about 10,000 feet, according to a memo the airline sent to pilots Wednesday.
"The captain treated the incident in a very professional manner and consulted with his fellow pilots, the cabin crew, dispatch and [a Fort Worth-based] tech on what the noise could have been," the memo stated.
After finding no problems with the jet, the pilot concluded that it might have been cargo shifting in the belly of the plane.
He decided to continue to Paris, while closely monitoring the jet's systems for any problems.
The airplane landed safely at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, where mechanics discovered that a small access panel covering the air-conditioning system had fallen off the bottom side of the jet's fuselage.
The missing panel did not pose a safety issue, American spokesman John Hotard said. He added that the airline is investigating the incident.
TREBOR BANSTETTER, 817-390-7064
