On 5th May 1983, Eastern Airlines flight 855, a Lockheed L1011, departed Miami International Airport en-route to Nassau, Bahamas. On descent through 15000 ft, the low oil pressure light on no2 engine illuminated. The engine was shut down and the captain decided to return to Miami on 2 engines. However, shortly after, the low oil pressure lights for nos1 and 3 engines also illuminated. These 2 engines quickly flamed out, turning the aircraft into a glider. The pilot finally managed to restart no2 engine, but not before the aircraft had descended from 13000ft to 4000ft. The aircraft made a single engine landing at Miami with no casualties.
The investigation showed that during the engine maintenance prior to the flight, the master chip detectors (magnetic plugs that detect any metal chips in the oil) had been inspected, but the replaced without their o-seals. Consequently all 3 engines had dumped their oil!
Second notable incident involving a small oversight leading to a plane crash was the 2002 crash of a Boeing 737 operated by the airline Helios Airways. The crash was primarily attributed to a failure to properly maintain the plane’s pressurization system.
The maintenance crew had forgotten to reset a switch that controlled the aircraft’s pressurization system after a previous maintenance check. As a result, the cabin lost pressure during flight, leading to the incapacitation of the crew and ultimately the crash. This incident highlights how even seemingly minor oversights in maintenance procedures can have catastrophic consequences in aviation.
Such events underscore the importance of thorough checks and adherence to protocols in aircraft maintenance.
