MESSAGE From the Chief of Safety

Flying Safety, June, 2001

The following text originated in a message (DTG R 031104Z APR 01) from the USAF Chief of Safety, Maj Gen Timothy A. Peppe. Bottom line? We are all responsible for preventing FOD.

Foreign Object Damage (FOD)

1. FOD damage to aircraft has increased in the last 18 months. Since the beginning of FY00, the Air Force has experienced 49 Class A (damage greater than $1 million) and B (damage between 200,000 and $1 million) FOD mishaps at a cost of over $25 million. Many were the result of complacency or a lack of basic maintenance discipline. Two mishaps during this period involved individuals attempting to start engines with intake covers still installed--a clear violation of T.O. guidance and common sense. Loose personal equipment also accounted for two mishaps when a communication cord, and in a separate incident, an unsecured headset mouthpiece were pulled into running engines. In another, a tool was left in the engine cowling after maintenance, resulting in more than $1 million of damage. These last few examples of inattention demonstrate that a lack of situational awareness while operating in the vicinity of a running engine is always costly and could be fatal. While there are other examples of a lack of situatio nal awareness during this period (including leaving a flashlight in an intake, not properly storing "Remove Before Flight" pins, etc.), the bottom line cost of these "asleep at the wheel" mishaps has been almost $9 million.

2. Another alarming trend is the increasing incidence of "undetermined" FOD events. In other words, the unit that submitted the report didn't know if it was a stone, bolt, or washer that caused the damage. This is alarming because if you don't know what caused it, you'll never prevent it. Arguably some sources of FOD can't be determined, but superficial investigations that only state "FOD was from an undetermined origin" without investigating the status of ramp/taxiway/runway condition, local FOD prevention programs, recent maintenance performed, etc., make it almost impossible to break the code on what's causing FOD mishaps.

3. Bottom line, some FOD mishaps are the cost of doing business--but most aren't! Increased vigilance not only when working around engines but when working on or operating them is paramount to bringing our FOD mishap rate down. More attention to potential FOD hazards while on the ramps and taxiways will do the same. Instilling a back-to-basics approach of strict T.O. compliance (Is the intake cover removed? Are the pins properly stored/secured?) will help reduce the unacceptable dollar cost of FOD mishaps. Not only are the dollar values high, but much of the FOD damage is preventable--damage that many times can go unnoticed until an aircraft is airborne when the results of the ingestion of a small stone off a deteriorating/improperly swept taxiway could be catastrophic. We need to get back to basics and make the effort to "break the code" on why FOD mishaps are occurring.

4. This is a joint AF SE/IL message.