NTSB Safety Recommendations A-09-43 through 53

[NTSB Press Releases <NTSBPressReleases@xxxxxxxx>]

Title: NTSB Safety Recommendations A-09-43 through 53

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                   NTSB SAFETY RECOMMENDATION

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National Transportation Safety Board

Washington, DC 20594

July 13, 2009

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The National Transportation Safety Board recommends

that the Federal Aviation Administration:

Require operators to replace electrically conductive

combustible oxygen hoses with electrically nonconductive hoses

so that the internal hose spring cannot be energized. (A-09-

43)

Prohibit the use of electrically conductive combustible oxygen

hoses unless the conductivity of the hose is an intentional

and approved parameter in the design. (A-09-44)

Formalize the airworthiness directive process so that, when

an aircraft manufacturer or other source identifies an

airworthiness issue with an appliance, coordination with the

appliance manufacturer occurs to ensure that the possible

safety risks to all products using the appliance are

evaluated and addressed. (A-09-45)

Require airplane manufacturers and modifiers to provide

positive separation between electrical wiring and oxygen

system tubing according to, at a minimum, the guidance in

Advisory Circular (AC) 43.13-1A, “Acceptable Methods,

Techniques, and Practices—Aircraft Inspection and Repair,” and

AC 65-15, “Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics Airframe

Handbook.” (A-09-46)

Require airplane manufacturers and operators to ensure that

oxygen system tubing in proximity to electrical wiring is made

of, sleeved with, or coated with nonconductive material or

that the tubing is otherwise physically isolated from

potential electrical sources. (A-09-47)

Develop minimum electrical grounding requirements for oxygen

system components and include these requirements as part of

the certification process for new airplanes and approved

supplemental type certificate modifications to existing

airplanes. (A-09-48)

Once electrical grounding requirements for oxygen system

components are developed, as requested in Safety

Recommendation A-09-48, require airplane operators and

modifiers to inspect their airplanes for compliance with these

criteria and modify those airplanes not in compliance

accordingly. (A-09-49)

Develop inspection criteria or service life limits for

flexible oxygen hoses to ensure that they meet current

certification and design standards. (A-09-50)

Once inspection criteria or service life limits for flexible

oxygen hoses have been developed, as requested in Safety

Recommendation A-09-50, require airplane operators to replace

those hoses that do not meet the inspection criteria or that

exceed the service life limits. (A-09-51)

Require transport-category airplane operators to (1) perform a

one-time inspection of all passenger service unit reading

lights installed on their airplanes to ensure that they

include rubber boots or use other means to isolate the

electrical parts of the assembly and (2) include, in

maintenance manuals or other maintenance documentation,

information about the importance of this electrical

protection. (A-09-52)

Require operators of transport-category cargo airplanes to

install smoke detectors in the supernumerary or similar

compartment of their airplanes. (A-09-53)

Also, the National Transportation Safety Board reiterates

the following recommendation to the Federal Aviation

Administration:

Provide guidance to aircraft rescue and firefighting personnel

on the best training methods to obtain and maintain proficiency

with the high-reach extendable turret with skin-penetrating

nozzle. (A-07-100)

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http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2009/A09_43_53.pdf

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The complete recommendation letter is available on the Web

at the URL indicated above.

The letter is in the Portable Document Format (PDF) and can

be read using the Acrobat Reader 5.0 or later from Adobe

(http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html).

       

An archive of recommendation letters is available at

http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/letters.htm.

Electronic versions of letters may or may not include

enclosures; however, related publications, accident

briefs, and aviation accident synopses may be found

on the NTSB website.

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