Skymark Airlines Co., already found to have flown an airplane past its maintenance deadline, flew another plane in February without fixing a lightning-damaged part in time, transport ministry officials said Friday.
A special inspection by the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry also revealed that the parts-control system database at Skymark's aircraft servicing section had a system failure in December.
In the latest case, a Boeing 767 was hit by lightning just before landing at Fukuoka airport on Feb. 7, damaging a rivet. Inspection and maintenance procedures determined the plane could make only 50 more flights without repairs. But the plane made 55 flights before the damaged part was mended on Feb. 14, the officials said.