Through standard quality inspection procedures, a plastic cap was found squeezed into a fuel line of a V-22 Osprey fuselage that was being prepared for delivery to Arizona and full assembly of the plane itself.
The obstruction in the fuel line obviously would have compromised the plane's safety. Sources say the inspectors cannot rule out the possibility that this was a willful act.
In other words: Deliberate sabotage.
This is the second major production problem at the plant this year.
Back in May, Boeing disclosed that two /*Chinook*/ helicopters, also assembled at the Ridley Park plant, had been sabotaged.
Former assembly line worker /*Matthew Montgomery*/ was arrested and prosecuted for slicing at least 70 wires in one of the choppers that was near completion. Montgomery's motive, prosecutors said, was dissatisfaction with his work assignment. Whoever sabotaged a second Chinook remains a mystery.
/*Congressman Joe Sestak*/ was briefed on the situation Friday afternoon.
"I have great confidence in this company and its wonderful employees that they will find out how this happened, and the right type of additional surveillance for however this occured is going to be in place," said Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA)
In a statement, Boeing said: "This action is the result of an incident discovered by Boeing during quality inspection of a V-22 aircraft in production. The incident is currently under review."
Despiet the shutdown, Boeing says all employees are to report to work as scheduled.
