US: Regulator orders quicker inspection of jet engines linked to death

Airlines need to speed the inspection of older jet engine fan blades like the one that led to a passenger death after it broke loose last month on a Southwest flight, US regulators said Wednesday. The FAA issued a new directive to operators of the CFM56-7B engine, one of the most popular makes in the world, based on findings in the investigation and a review by the manufacturer, according to a notice set to be published in the Federal Register Thursday. “The FAA is acting to ensure an extra measure of safety,” the agency said. A woman was partially sucked though a window on April 17 when a fan blade on a CFM56-7B engine broke loose, shredding the cover of the front of the engine and spraying metal parts into the aircraft. A buckle on the engine inlet struck and broke the window, causing the cabin to rapidly depressurize, according to the NTSB. A crack on the blade had gradually grown until it fractured, according to preliminary findings in the NTSB investigation. The new order, which replaces one issued earlier this month, requires airlines to inspect the the fan blades with the highest risk of failure by June 30, using guidance from engine-maker CFM International Inc. The company is a joint venture between General Electric Co. and France’s Safran SA. The latest order is designed to make sure the highest priority inspections occur first, according to an emailed statement from CFM.<br/>