More Safety Problems for Qantas 747s

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) says 14 of Qantas' 30 Boeing 747-400s were found to have cracked drip shields similar to those on a Boeing 747 that lost electrical power while approaching Bangkok on Jan. 7, 2008. Meanwhile, the ATSB's preliminary report into the electrical system failure...

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The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) says 14 of Qantas' 30 Boeing 747-400s were found to have cracked drip shields similar to those on a Boeing 747 that lost electrical power while approaching Bangkok on Jan. 7, 2008.

Meanwhile, the ATSB's preliminary report into the electrical system failure involving the Qantas Boeing 747-438 (VH-OJM) at Bangkok shows that the event was less serious than first reported.

The aircraft, with 346 passengers and 19 crewmembers, was arriving from London. When the aircraft was at about 21,000 feet on descent to Bangkok Airport, the customer service manager notified the flight crew that a substantial water leak had occurred in the forward galley.

Over the following 12 to 13 minutes, cockpit indications showed a number of electrical bus and system failures that indicated alternating current (AC) buses, 1, 2 and 3 were not powered. The status of AC bus 4 appeared normal and some systems were powered by batteries.

The captains primary flight display, navigation display, and some other instruments were available in a degraded mode and the crew conducted an uneventful approach and landing in day visual meteorological conditions.

Post-flight inspections identified a minor water leak in the forward galley sink drain and that an ice drawer drain was blocked. The inspection found cracks in a fiberglass drip shield located above an electrical component rack in the aircraft's main equipment center, as well as evidence of dark liquid stains on the shield. Further inspection found that a ribbon heater on a drain line leading to the forward grey water drain mast was inoperative, and that a length of hose on the drain line at that location was split.

On Jan. 11, Boeing issued a Multi Operator Message to operators of 747-400 series aircraft, containing advice and instructions for the inspection and repair of main equipment center drip shields. Boeing is preparing an inspection and repair alert service bulletin covering the issue that is scheduled for release by May 2008.

In addition to ordering a 747 fleet-wide inspection on Jan. 11, Qantas issued a Cabin Standing Order and a Flight Standing Order requiring cabin and flight crews to identify, treat and report abnormal water accumulation in galley areas.