The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "mechanical" ...
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Outsourcing Safety: Boeing Jets Repairs in El Salvador
KIRO Team 7 investigators travel to El Salvador, uncovering a series of safety lapses at a Boeing jet maintenance facility. We found unqualified $2 an hour mechanics, the use of broken parts, failures to properly connect electrical wiring inside aircraft and the hiring of a work force that had trouble reading English-only Boeing jet repair manuals. This team of reporters also uncovered the locations of where major U.S. carriers take their jets out of the country for repair (Guadalajara, Taipei, Hong Kong, El Salvador, Beijing, Mexico City and Guatemala).
Tags: Boeing; jets; broken parts; U.S. carriers
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Scandal in Illinois Workers' Compensation System
More than 230 guards at the Menard Correctional Center, a maximum security Illinois prison, claimed to have acquired carpal tunnel syndrome of the wrist by turning keys or operating cell locking mechanisms. These claims resulted in in taxpayer-funded partial disability payments totaling more than $10 million paid to guards who returned to work full-time operating the same locks.
Tags: Menard Correctional Center; prison; carpal tunnel syndrome
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Wall Street Money Machine
This series of stories reveals that several Wall Street bankers saw indications of the housing market meltdown "long before the public and policy makers." The three-part series offers a different look at the all too familiar results of bigger payouts for the bankers and huge job and savings losses for the public. The series covers the hedge fund Magnetar and the "mechanics" behind the failure of Merrill Lynch.
Tags: Merrill Lynch; Magnetar; CDOs; Wall Street; bankers; gains; payouts; economic crisis; BankAmerica; hedge fund; housing market; bribery
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"Safety for Sale"
The Federal Aviation Administration is under fire after WFAA-TV reveals that thousands of aircraft mechanics licensed by the FAA, had "questionable" training. The poor training and slow reaction by the FAA could be connected to two deadly airplane crashes. The series also revealed that repair facilities hired foreign mechanics through "immigration loopholes" who were unqualified and often could not speak English.
Tags: FAA; Federal Aviation Administration; diploma mills; U.S. aircraft mechanics; mechanic training; foreign mechanics;
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Fatal Flying on Airlines No Accident in Aviator Complaint to FAA
Florida aviation company, Gulfstream, is found to have lax pilot training standards as well as relaxed policies on aircraft fitness for flight. Death and accidents have occurred due to the neglect and Gulfstream's pilots are prevalent in the airline industry.
Tags: Gulfstream; Florida; airline; regional; pilots; training; mechanical; aircraft; aviation;
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Carnival Safety Investigation
Inside Edition sent a producer with hidden cameras to work at several traveling carnivals around the country where he uncovered major drug use by some of the carnival ride operators. In addition to capturing "ride jockeys" abusing (and dealing) drugs just minutes before they began operating major thrill rides popular with children and young adults, our producer also observed several serious safety issues inherent in the traveling carnival industry. Among these safety issues were questionable hiring practices, inadequate training policies and dangerous mechanical issues on multiple rides.
Tags: carnival safety; public safety; ride jockeys; drug use; sex offenders; ex-con; traveling carnivals;
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Signing Statements
Among the presidential powers the Bush-Cheney Administration has worked to expand are "to act in defiance of laws passed by Congress, to shield itself from outside oversight and to impose greater political control over the permanent government." The Globe exposed the role of "a previously obscure device called a "presidential signing statement." President Bush "has employed this mechanism to claim the right to ignore more than 800 laws, asserting that he can set aside any bill provision conflicting with his interpretation of the powers given to him by the Constitution." This power has been used in place of the more limited presidential veto, and "he has used it more often than all previous presidents combined." This has been a push from Vice President Cheney's office, as his history of asserting nearly unlimited presidential power is also examined.
Tags: Signing statements; Bush Administration; presidential veto; Vice President Dick Cheney; presidential powers
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After the Crash
Series explored recurrent problems with faulty aircraft maintenance that endangered the lives of pilots and passengers, and examined a mechanic's pattern of falsifying records to try to hide his mistakes.
Tags: airports; airplanes; aircraft maintenance; public safety; FOIA
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Auto Disrepair
The authors investigated the auto repair industry and possible means for remedies when consumers are unhappy with repairs done on their cars. There is little regulation in the industry; that leaves both consumers and merchants vulnerable.
Tags: mechanics; Florida; auto repair; consumer complaints; industry regulation; FOIA
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Northwest Prepares for Strike
The report documents the plans made by Northwest Airlines to hire and train mechanics to replace those who took part in strike action against the company.
Tags: airlines; airports; Northwest; industrial action; strikes; airline mechanics; picket lines