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This is an open letter to Chairman Jim Hall of the NTSB and was sent by FAX to him on January 19th with NO reply. His letter to Administrator Jane Garvey of the FAA indicated that the NTSB was concerned about Air Safety concerning aircraft wire and installation spacing in Cessna 650's and Boeing 767's specifically, and ALL airplanes in general. Two (2) recommendations were issued.
Aircraft wiring can be mis-handled, mis-routed during installation, be submitted to severe vibration and other enviromental factors and still be free from causing an electrical fire and smoke! The wire depends upon on the CHEMICAL construction of the insulation material. Hybrid constructed wire (TKT) is SAFE WIRING.
Chairman of the NTSB Attention: Jim Hall
Cc: Senator Slade Gordon, Senator John McCain, and Senator Ron Wyden Rep. Linda Smith
Re your letter A-98-1 and -2 to the FAA dated January 15, 1998
I would like to direct you to my web site on AIRCRAFT WIRING: http://members.aol.com/papcecst/ I know Alex Taylor of Boeing, as I was Boeing's lead technician for testing all types of wiring for commercial aircraft. I qualified BMS 13-60 TKT wiring (Hybrid constructed) "arc resistance" and together with one other technician at Boeing, developed Boeing's 'arc tracking lab' that was considered by the industry as the finest. I have 2 attaboy letters from Alex Taylor commending me for my work at Boeing developing the Arc tracking lab and for qualifying the new TKT 'arc resistance' wire BMS 13-60
Many executives visited our lab. Ms. Pat Cahill of the FAA, Frank Campbell of the Navy Research Lab, executives from DuPont, Raychem, Tensolite, Teledyne, and many others visited our lab. They all agreed that Boeing had the finest Lab in the industry.
I was given various sections of wire bundles that were involved in aircraft incidents and accidents, including the 737-300 in Manila in May 1990 that the fuel tank exploded. I evaluated a portion of that wire bundle and it showed evidence of 'arc tracking' as the ignition source. I was told to keep my findings to myself, by Boeing engineers.
I have the letter, that was written by the NTSB to the FAA recommending certain AD's to be issued for all 737's, regarding certain safety recommendations concerning WIRE. The FAA chose to turn a deaf ear to your recommendations. My site has my qualifications posted as well as a description of an arc tracking condition. Page 1 of your letter, last paragraph makes mention of "a loud pop. . . " That is one of several examples of an arc tracking condition especially when a 'FLASHOVER' (short circuit) occurs.
It is NOT, repeat NOT, improper handling of the wire or installation of the wire that is the major culprit. It is the MATERIAL of the INSULATION (chemical construction) that causes fire, and smoke.
The FAA's Ms. Pat Cahill is well aware of what causes the fire and smoke. She makes mention of this in her FAA documents Aug. 1988, July 1989 and March 1995. I have copies of all three documents. John Berlin, CEO of Tensolite, has been pounding on the doors of the FAA to call for "only" the use of TKT (arc resistance wire) for new airplanes and to be used for replacement of wires when repairs are necessary. He has received nothing but continual roadblocks by the FAA. Why? I thought that AIR SAFETY was a primary concern of the FAA.
Any wires, carrying electrical energy, can be involved in 'arc tracking.' When TKT wires have a FLASHOVER (short circuit), the wires fuse together, trip the circuit breaker, and that's it. No smoke or fire, end of story!
The 777 flies by wire! We qualified the use of BMS 13-60 (TKT) wire to be used on the 777. Between Raychem and Boeing, they decided NOT to use this SAFE WIRE. BMS 13-48 wire is used on the 777's. The 767's that you reference in your letter have Raychem's BMS 13-48 wire. Alex Taylor of Boeing, did NOT tell the truth. He stated to Sean Griffin, reporter of the Tacoma News Tribune, that they decided to use BMS 13-48 (Raychem's wire) because Tensolite couldn't make enough BMS 13-60 wire in time for launching the 777 program. I asked John Berlin of Tensolite, and he replied "all Boeing had to do was ask for the wire, and Tensolite could have supplied Boeing with all the wire they needed." His telephone number is 904 829 5600.
Sean Griffin (I was supplying him documents and pointing him to the government for FOIA's ) was getting ready to publish a series of stories on aircraft wiring for the Tacoma News Tribune. He called, one day in June 1997, and apologized for not being able to publish the series. He had been hired by The Boeing Co. to do PR work. I saw the FAX that was sent by Doug Webb of Boeing to Sean. Boeing asked Sean NOT to write any stories about aircraft wire! I have his one and only article that was published posted on my site.
After you visit my site and if you have any questions, just ask and I'll try to answer them.
Sincerely,
Patrick A. Price