NTSB Probes Jet Brake Failures Tied to Crossed Wires

From USA Today
Two recent accidents on United Airlines jets have been linked to misconnected wiring on brakes, the latest incidents to raise questions about maintenance at the nation's airlines. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating two cases in which United jets skidded off runways, one in Chicago on Oct. 9 and the other in Jackson Hole, Wyo., on Feb. 25, the agency said in a release. Three people suffered minor injuries in the incidents. In both cases, the Airbus A320 jets had been wired incorrectly in a way that made their brakes fail when pilots hit the brakes  articularly hard, the agency said. A jet with the crossed wiring could fly for weeks before the problem surfaced because pilots rarely use maximum brakes. The finding comes after Southwest Airlines was hit earlier this month with a record $10.2 million fine for maintenance violations. The Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees airlines, acknowledged that its inspectors at Southwest were too cozy with the airline.
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