FAA orders emergency inspections

Friday, February 11th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

SEATTLE, February 10 â€“ The Federal Aviation Administration ordered emergency inspections Thursday on all MD-80, MD-90, DC-9, and Boeing 717 jets. The order affects approximately 1,100 planes in the United States.

The inspections were ordered to be carried out over the next two to three days. It was unclear whether they would disrupt flights.

The order came on the same day Alaska Airlines grounded two MD-80s after finding metal shavings and filings coming off the jackscrew assemblies in emergency inspections.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board were on their way to Seattle and Portland to inspect the grounded planes.

Alaska Airlines said 26 MD-80s checked out fine and have been put back into service. Three planes undergoing maintenance in Oakland, Calif. have not yet been inspected, and three others undergoing maintenance checked out fine.

On Wednesday Boeing recommended all airlines inspect the jackscrew assemblies on all MD-80 series jets, as well as MD-90s, DC-9s and 717s. Nearly 70 airlines worldwide fly about 2,000 of the planes. No other problems have been reported.

The inspections were recommended after a damaged piece of tail wing was recovered from an Alaska Airlines jet that crashed into the Pacific Ocean last week, killing all 88 people aboard.