S. Korea grounds 13 B737 NG jets in emergency inspection to fix cracks

By Lim Chang-won Posted : November 11, 2019, 16:08 Updated : November 11, 2019, 16:52

[Yonhap Photo]

SEOUL -- South Korea grounded 13 passenger jets after structural cracks requiring repair and replacement of the affected parts were discovered in an emergency inspection of 100 B737 NG jets. There are a total of 150 B737 NG jets introduced by South Korean aircraft operators.

As of November 10, aviation inspectors in South Korea have finished checks on 100 B737 NG jets since US regulators ordered urgent inspections. Boeing's 737 NG is the third-generation model of 737 and is the version before the grounded 737 MAX.

Out of aircraft with more than 20,000 flights, 13 have been grounded because of cracks, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said in a statement on Monday, adding it would complete the inspection of 50 other jets with less than 20,000 flights by November 25.

Parts with cracks should be replaced completely, the ministry said. "The repair period takes about two weeks and all 13 defective aircraft will be repaired by early January next year," it said, suggesting regular checks would be conducted according to guidelines from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Cracks have been found in a "pickle fork" that attaches the plane's fuselage to the wing structure.

Korean Air and its budget carrier, Jin Air, operate a total of 54 737NG jets. Of them, eight were grounded because cracks were discovered.

"It's a fatigue crack," Korean Air's maintenance and engineering division head Lee Soo-keun told reporters, describing the Boing 737 NG as a "very experienced" airplane. "With this fine crack, aircraft can operate for another five to 10 years. As safety issues have recently become an issue, we have agreed with Boeing to replace both sides even if cracks are found on one side."
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