U.S. Army Grounds Fleet of CH-47 Chinooks Because of Engine Fire Risk

About 400 heavy-lift helicopters were grounded ‘out of an abundance of caution,’ the Army says.

Wednesday, August 31, 2022 at 12:40 PM ET

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Honeywell said O-rings not meeting design specifications had been installed in Honeywell T55 engines aboard CH-47 Chinooks. [Courtesy: U.S. Army/Master Sgt. Ryan C. Matson]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Army has temporarily grounded its entire fleet of approximately 400 CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters due to fuel leaks that caused engine fires.
The problem was traced to faulty O-rings, which did not meet design specifications and were installed in some Honeywell T55 engines during routine maintenance at an Army Depot.
The grounding is a precautionary measure, as no deaths or injuries have occurred, and the Army is implementing corrective actions to resolve the issue.

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The U.S. Army has temporarily grounded its entire fleet of Boeing (NYSE: BA) CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters “out of an abundance of caution” after discovering the installation of a faulty part has caused fuel leaks that led to engine fires.

The issue was caused by the installation of a part that did not meet design specifications in some Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON) T55 Turboshaft engines during routine maintenance, the OEM said Tuesday evening.