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LEAD: Skymark ignored Boeing's safety instruction on 5 planes+(Japan Economic Newswire Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)TOKYO, March 28_(Kyodo) _ (EDS: ADDING INFO AT 4-6TH GRAFS) Skymark Airlines Co. operated five Boeing 767s for nine months without conducting an equipment check within 90 days as required by the maker, the transport ministry said Tuesday. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport found the irregularity when it inspected the Japanese discount carrier after it was revealed earlier this month that it had operated a Boeing 767-300 without conducting the required check. According to the ministry, the U.S. maker instructed Skymark in December 2004 to check a heater surrounding the model's water duct within 90 days. But Skymark did not check the equipment on the five planes until July. "We believe Skymark has a problem with its maintenance system," Transport Minister Kazuo Kitagawa said at a news conference Tuesday. "We want them to find out why the repair order was ignored and to come up with preventive measures." Takashi Ide, who is in charge of carrier maintenance at the airline, plans to explain ways to prevent a recurrence of such incidents at the ministry in the afternoon. Earlier this month, Skymark was reprimanded by the ministry for flying carriers past the 9-month deadline for repair, and it has been holding inspections by a special task team since mid-March. |