AVT 4232: ELECTROMECHANICAL HARNESSING

QUIZ #2

Scenario
At 10:45 a.m. on a clear and sunny day, a Boeing 737-800 airliner operated by XYZ
Airlines is cruising at an altitude of 35,000 feet en route from Los Angeles
International Airport (LAX) to Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD). The
aircraft is carrying 130 passengers and 20 crew members.
As the aircraft passes over the Mojave Desert, the pilots notice a faint burning
smell in the cockpit. They immediately initiate a checklist to identify the source of
the odor. While searching for the cause, the aircraft's main electrical system
begins to malfunction. The lights flicker erratically, and some of the cockpit
instruments go haywire.
The pilots declare an emergency and begin to descend rapidly towards the
nearest airport, McCarran International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, Nevada. As
they descend, the burning smell intensifies, and smoke starts to fill the cockpit. The
pilots struggle to maintain control of the aircraft as the electrical system continues
to fail.
At 11:05 a.m., approximately 15 miles from LAS, the aircraft's main electrical
system completely fails. The pilots lose all control of the aircraft's primary flight
controls, including the ailerons, elevators, and rudder. The aircraft enters a steep
nosedive and crashes into the desert approximately 10 miles from LAS.
All 150 people on board are killed in the crash.
Investigators later determine that the cause of the accident was a short circuit in
the aircraft's Electrical Wiring Interconnect System (EWIS). The short circuit
occurred in the area of the cockpit instrument panel, where a bundle of electrical
wires was chafing against a metal bracket. The chafing caused the insulation on
the wires to wear away, exposing the bare wires.
When the exposed wires came into contact with each other, they created a short
circuit, which caused a spark. The spark ignited the flammable material in the
cockpit, starting a fire that quickly spread throughout the aircraft.
The investigation also revealed that XYZ Airlines had been aware of problems with
the EWIS on this aircraft and on other aircraft of the same type. However, the
airline had failed to take adequate corrective action.
The investigation report made a number of recommendations to prevent similar
accidents from happening in the future. These recommendations included:
Improving the design of the EWIS to make it less susceptible to chafing and
damage
Implementing more rigorous maintenance procedures for the EWIS
Providing more training to airline personnel on the identification and prevention
of EWIS problems
As a result of this accident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued an
Airworthiness Directive (AD) requiring all Boeing 737-800 aircraft to be inspected
for chafing and damage to the EWIS. The FAA also issued a Safety Alert for
Operators (SAFO) reminding airlines of the importance of proper EWIS
maintenance.

ACCIDENT REPORT:
1. What was the specific location of the short circuit in the EWIS?
2. What was the cause of the short circuit? Could the short circuit have been
prevented? If so, how?
3. Had there been any previous problems with the EWIS on this aircraft or on
other aircraft of the same type?
4. What are the recommendations of the investigation report to prevent
similar accidents from happening in the future?
5. Were there any warnings or indications that there was a problem with the
EWIS before the accident?
6. What actions did the pilots take when they became aware of the problem?
7. What could have been done to prevent the short circuit from occurring?
8. What changes have been made to EWIS design and maintenance
procedures as a result of this accident?
9. What are the recommendations of the investigation report to prevent
similar accidents from happening in the future?
10. What lessons can be learned from this accident?