House Panel to Examine FAA Actions on 757 Danger

A congressional subcommittee will convene a hearing next month to determine whether the Federal Aviation Administration ignored safety warnings involving Boeing 757 jetliners until after the deaths of 13 people, federal officials said Monday.

Saying the FAA has a history of not acting until after a tragedy, Rep. Tom Lewis (R-Fla.), the ranking Republican on the House subcommittee on technology, environment and aviation, said he called for the hearing because he believes the FAA may have put the airline industry’s well-being over the public’s.

“I’m really frustrated with the FAA over this thing,” Lewis said. “I passed legislation--the Catastrophic Failure Prevention Act--that’s supposed to require them to look at these kinds of things before they happen.”

Lewis added, “This tombstone technology attitude of the FAA does not seem to want to go away.”

Two crashes, including a Dec. 15, 1993, accident in Santa Ana that killed two In-N-Out Burger chain executives, occurred after private aircraft encountered “horizontal tornadoes” caused by 757 jetliners. Although aviation experts disagree on the degree of the hazard, the 757’s unique, fuel-efficient design creates windstorms emanating from each wingtip that are more powerful and last longer than those made by other aircraft its size.

The Times reported earlier this month that the FAA’s top scientist, Robert E. Machol, had issued warnings on the 757 danger as far back as 1990. It was that report that prompted Lewis’ call for the hearing, he said.