Cockpit Fire Forces United 757 to Make Emergency Landing

[PhilDernerJr]

NYCAviation:

:arrow: Cockpit Fire Forces United 757 to Make Emergency Landing (http://nycaviation.com/2010/05/18/cockpit-fire-forces-united-757-to-make-emergency-landing-michelle-tanner-uninjured/)

A small fire broke out in the cockpit of a United Airlines flight to Los Angeles about 30 minutes after taking of from New York JFK Sunday evening, forcing the Boeing 757 to make an emergency landing at Washington Dulles.

[Speedbagel_001]

I got a question based on the following paragraph from the article:

"Investigators are looking into the possibility that the fire resulted from a long known problem with faulty wiring in windshield heaters on many Boeing models, but especially the 757. American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Air Greenland 757s have all suffered cockpit fires in the past few years, all of which were successfully extinguished by the crew."

If this is a long-known problem, why isn't the FAA grounding all of the affected Boeing aircraft until they can figure out what's causing the issue (and FIXING it)? And why isn't the media jumping on this, like they tend to do?

I guess it's more important to worry about what someone might smuggle on board in their shoes and underwear than be concerned that the plane might catch on FIRE all by itself!

[hiss srq]

If I am not mistaken there in an AWD for this issue already out and US has had some heat for it a few times. A 757 in PHL had some work done for an issue similar to this from US..