FAA Issues AD to Guard Against DC-10 Fuel Tank Explosions

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued an airworthiness directive (AD) requiring installation of Teflon sleeving around the fuel pump wire harness inside the conduit in the aft supplemental fuel tank of McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 and DC-10-30F aircraft. The AD results from fuel system reviews performed by the manufacturer. The FAA said the AD, effective Aug. 3, alleviates the potential of ignition sources inside the fuel tank igniting fuel vapors resulting in fuel tank explosions. Five aircraft of U.S. registry are affected by the AD. Each modification covered by the AD will take about two hours to complete at a cost of about $160 per airplane. The Teflon sleeving must be installed within 60 days of the effective date of this AD.