The Michigan Daily-Friday, June 1 1979-Page 7
Officials say bolt didn't cause DC-10 crash
Edward Slattery, public affairs an assembly.
WASHINGTON (AP)-The DC-10 cleared, and a member of the NTSB, director of the NTSB, said that when The NTSB's recommendaton to
bolt found on the runway near the site of Philip Hogue, said yesterday that he --the bolt was found on the runway, an FAA head Langhorne Bond on May 27
the nation's worst air disaster did not would not fly on a DC-10 "until the investigator looked at it with a han- mentioned that "the investigation
cause the accident but was broken as a questions have been answered." dglass and diagnosed the break as the reveals the presence of a fatigue frac-
result of it, an investigator said yester- ASKED WHETHER he would use the result of metal fatigue. ture of the No. 1 pylon forward thrust
day. wide-bodied jet, Hogue replied "No. No, "Today Marks put it through exten- link attach bolt."
"The bolt had broken in an overstress I would not. I'm not afraid. I don't wish sive testing in the lab and determined it A board staffer, who asked not to be
condition, rather than a fatigue con- other people to be afraid but until the was not a fatigue factor but an over- named, said the FAA accepted the NT-
dition," Michael Marks, chief questions have been answered that I stress factor," Slattery said. "He also SB's original recommendation to in-
metallurgist for the National Transpor- have raised here, I would have some found several fatigue fractures in the spect the pylon attachment points "but
tation Safety Board (NTSB) told the reluctance to do so" same area." they weren't really hot on the idea; not
board in a briefing. "As far as can be The five-member board is charged SLATTERY SAID the bolt by itself convinced we really had something"
ascertained so far, the bolt broke as a with investigating accidents and could not have caused the accident. But then seven planes were found
result of the accident." making recommendations to "We never said that," he added. "It's with deficiencies such as cracking of
INITIALLY, investigators blamed regulatory agencies. But it does not not that simple. The pylon is a com- metal parts and the order went out to
the bolt for the crash of the American have the power to order planes groun- plicated arrangement." ground the entire fleet pending a
Airlines DC-10 that killed 274 people ded. Hogue talked with reporters after The bolt in question is one of four in thorough inspection.
outside Chicago last Friday. The plane the safety agency staff briefed the
lost its left wing engine, one of three on board on last Friday's crash of a DC-10
the plane, before it hit the ground. in Chicago with a loss of 274 lives. Now Showing, Campus Area But terfld Theat res
Airlines were ordered to inspect Hogue expressed concern about
similar bolts on other DC-10s. During whether the current grounding of DC- MONDAY NIGHT IS ADULTS FRI., SAT., SUN.
that initial inspection other problems in 10s, until they pass an inspection of the WEDNESDAY IS "GUEST NIGHT" EYE, a HOLIDAYS $3.50
the engine-to-wing mounting area were engine mount area, is sufficient to un- "BARGAIN DAY" TWO ADULTS M0N.-ThUR.EVE. $3.00
found and the Federal Aviation Ad- cover all possible problems with the $1.50 UNTIL 5:30 ADMITTED FOR THE ALL MATINEES $2.50
ministration (FAA) ordered the entire wide-bodied jet.
fleet of DC-10s grounded for a more "I'M CONCERNED about the
thorough inspection, possibility of cracked wings," he said.
'I think all these matters should be wrung out
before we really consider very seriously the eontinuing Theatre
operation of this airplane in public. MON. TUE. THUR, FRI7:30-9:40 MON, TUE, THUR, FRI 7:30-9:30
-Philip Hogue, National Transportation SAT, SUN, WED SAT, SUN WED
1:30-4:30-7:30-9:40 1:30-330-5:30-7:30-9:30
Safety Board member '-------BOBBY
eston BOBBY

Two United Airlines mechanics said
yesterday that during the initial inspec-
tion they- found one DC-10 with
problems so severe that an engine
might have dropped from it.
"THE PYLON MIGHT have
separated from the wing," said
mechanic Ernest Gigliotti.
Late yesterday afternoon the FAA
reported that 103 DC-10s had passed the
inspection and were cleared for flight.
Officials at the eight U.S. airlines that
use DC-10s counted a total of 112
cleared. FAA spokesman Fred Farrar
said "problems" were found on 37 DC-
10s during the inspections.
Some passengers refused to fly on the
DC-10s even after they had been

"I'm concerned about design, load
carrying features of pylons, whether
they are adequate or not." Pylons are
the structures by which the engines are
attached to the wings.
"I think all these matters should be
wrung out before we really consider
very seriously the continuing operation
of this airplane in public," Hogue said.
Despite the problems, McDonnell
Douglas, manufacturer of the DC-10,
announced yesterday that the Brazilian
airline Varig had signed uo to buy five
more DC-10s for $270 million.
McDONELL DOUGLAS also said it
plans to conduct tests with the NTSB to
determine whether a DC-10 can fly af-
ter losing an engine.

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