Yet another fleet of Boeing airplanes was found to have a potentially disastrous flaw — one that could set the entire aircraft ablaze.
Report informs via The New York Post that the aircraft manufacturer discovered that its 777 liners have poor electrical insulation near its fuel tank, according to a proposed rule the Federal Aviation Administration posted in March.
“This condition, if not addressed, could result in an ignition source inside the fuel tank and subsequent fire or explosion,” the Airworthiness Directives note states.
The possibly deadly fault would affect nearly 300 of Boeing’s aircraft across the US: the 77–200, –200LR, –300, –300ER, and 777F series jets.
Though an older jet, the Boeing 777 is commonly used across the globe, especially by American and United Airlines — and is the same massive twinjet that plunged 6,000 feet during a Singapore Airlines flight this week that injured dozens and killed a 73-year-old grandfather.
After Boeing reported the vulnerability to the FAA, the federal regulator offered a proposal to fix this issue that would cost a total of $14 million for all 292 affected US-registered airplanes.