Nippon Cargo Airlines has suspended all aircraft operations after an ‘inappropriate’ maintenance record was uncovered.
All 11 of the Japanese carrier’s 747 freighters were grounded on Saturday 16 June following an inspection on June 14, which showed a mismatch between the amount of lubricating oil present onboard its JA14KZ aircraft and that recorded in the aircraft's maintenance logs. The event was immediately reported to the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLITT).
Erring on the side of caution, the carrier decided to temporarily ground all aircraft while an investigation takes place, until all maintenance records have been confirmed appropriate. This process is expected to last “about one week”, the airline said in a statement, where it also apologised for the inconvenience caused to customers.