The transport ministry Thursday ordered Japan Airlines to ground a jetliner that had gone unchecked 10 days past an inspection deadline, after it was discovered JAL had not followed proper procedures when conducting the belated check on the aircraft, ministry officials said.
The order came just one day after the carrier was reprimanded by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport for flying the MD-87 without checking its main gear according to its inspection schedule.
JAL began a new inspection, ordered by the ministry, on the plane's landing gear Thursday at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido.
After the Wednesday reprimand was issued, ministry officials questioned JAL maintenance crew and discovered early the following day that the airline had inspected the MD-87 on Monday but had not followed usual procedure, including not using a designated chemical in the process.
JAL said the plane had flown 41 times over the 10 days past the March 10 deadline for the required checks.