Doomed Alaska Jet May Have Lacked Key Parts

S E A T T L E, Wash., Oct. 12, 2000 -- A shortage of replacement parts for an Alaska Airlines MD-80 jet undergoing maintenance 28 months before it crashed may have played a role in a decision not to replace a key tail mechanism, the Seattle Times reported today.

Documents from a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) probe of the crash off the California coast last January that killed all 88 on board show the word “panic” written next to a maintenance log entry about locating new parts, the newspaper reported.

The findings were part of an NTSB interview with former Alaska mechanic John Liotine, who recommended replacing the jackscrew controlling the jet’s horizontal stabilizer but was overruled.

The pilots of the doomed plane reported problems controlling the stabilizer and the NTSB probe has implicated the jackscrew, which was found coated with metal shards and might not have been properly lubricated.

Liotine told federal regulators in 1998 that Alaska, the nation’s 10th largest airline and a subsidiary of Alaska Air Group Inc., was falsifying maintenance records.

Alaska declined to comment on the latest report, citing NTSB restrictions on investigation participants speaking publicly during a probe.

Liotine told the NTSB that finding a replacement jackscrew, which could cost up to $60,000, would have delayed the aircraft’s return to service, the newspaper reported.

The NTSB documents also showed that a pilots’ union representative claimed that investigators had found no evidence that Alaska had ordered a replacement jackscrew, the paper reported.

In his initial test, Liotine had reported that the jackscrew was worn almost to its legal limit and called for replacement. Other mechanics ran several follow-up tests and recorded readings well within the legal limit, overriding Liotine’s recommendation.

Liotine’s complaints triggered a Federal Aviation Administration probe that found that six mechanics and inspectors at Alaska’s Oakland, Calif., facility had falsified records or violated regulations.

Alaska has referred to Liotine as a disgruntled employee who was placed on paid leave in 1999 and ousted from his former position as union president. He filed a libel suit against the company last month, according to news reports.

The airline has taken numerous steps to beef up safety, including sponsoring a comprehensive review of operations and appointing a new vice president for safety. It has repeatedly insisted it never knowingly allowed unsafe planes into service.