Malaysia Airlines flight grounded after tampering

Airline Industry Information, Jan 7, 2005

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2005 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

A Malaysia Airlines Airbus A330 was grounded after maintenance crews found hydraulic oil spilled on the instrument panel in the aircraft's cockpit.

The aircraft had been parked less than 33 feet from a security post and was due to take off for Osaka, Japan on 5 January.

The flight is the fourth to be grounded under "unusual circumstances" in the last two years, reported the Star Daily. The newspaper quoted unidentified sources and said that in previous cases electrical wires had been tampered with.

Those guilty of the tampering are yet to be found, despite police questioning airline employees and workers at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport since the first case in October 2003.

((Comments on this story may be sent to aii.feedback@m2.com))