Proposal would help keep jet engines from icing up

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday proposed new safety procedures to ensure that jet engines don't stop in midair during icy weather.

The FAA said it had received reports indicating a dozen or more instances in which one or more engines aboard airliners shut down in ice-crystal conditions during descent, an event referred to as engine flameout.

In all cases, crews were able to restart the engines.

Under the proposed rule, before beginning a descent pilots would activate anti-ice systems aboard aircraft more frequently in extreme weather conditions involving ice crystals.

The regulatory agency said there were reports of six engine flameouts on McDonnell Douglas Model MD-11 airplanes; several such events on Boeing Model 767 airplanes and four on Model 747 planes.

"These are rare events and engine reliability is high now, but our aim is to give pilots the help they need to avoid even the rare instances when a problem might occur," said FAA spokeswoman Alison Duquette.