U.S. FAA revokes certification of Xtra Aerospace after Lion Air crash

FILE PHOTO – An aerial photo shows Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, including Lion Air, NordStar and Neos-branded airplanes at Boeing facilities at the Grant County International Airport in Moses Lake, Washington, September 16, 2019. REUTERS/Lindsey Wasson

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday revoked the repair certification of Florida-based Xtra Aerospace LLC, which repaired a sensor suspected of contributing to the catastrophic crash of a Lion Air 737 MAX a year ago.

“Xtra failed to comply with requirements to repair only aircraft parts on list of parts acceptable to the FAA that it was capable of repairing,” the FAA said, which had opened an investigation soon after the October 2018 crash. bit.ly/33Zdlht

A final report into the Lion Air 737 MAX crash by Indonesian investigators made public Friday recommended that the FAA improve oversight of maintenance organizations.

Xtra Aerospace had conducted a repair on a Lion Air sensor that was miscalibrated, the report said, and gave erroneous readings that led to the activation of an anti-stall system that pushed down the plane’s nose.

The FAA order was part a settlement agreement with the company in which it agreed to waive its right to appeal the revocation to the National Transportation Safety Board or any court. Xtra could not immediately be reached Friday for comment.

Reporting by Sanjana Shivdas in Bengaluru and David Shepardso in Washinton ; Editing by Anil D’Silva and Franklin Paul

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
source: reuters.com