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 "Service Difficulty Reports" ...
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Craft had history of problems
This same-day story notes the record of equipment defects for a DC-9 cargo plane that crashed during takeoff. A review of 32 FAA Service Difficulty Reports on the plane filed by its operator noted landing gear malfunctions, cracks and corrosion in the plane structure, and loose, cracked, stripped or frozen parts in the landing gear door, cabin and cargo doors.
Tags: airplanes; Federal Aviation Authority; FAA; Service Difficulty Reports; airports
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Wear and tear: Jet problems reported by airlines vary widely
This Times' investigation revealed gaps in federal records meant to track mechanical problems on U.S. jetliners. In examining FAA Service Difficulty Reports from January 1987 to January 1989, the newspaper uncovered how airlines failed to provide key information in the reports. Of the more than 2,400 reports filed, 1,700 failed to include the name of the airline submitting the report. In one case, the tail number N2FOR was used to identify four different airplane models made by three manufacturers and operated by six airlines.
Tags: FAA; Federal Aviation Administration; airplanes; airlines; airline safety; Service Difficulty Reports
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Special report: Forced labor in America
This U.S.A Today investigative series reports on domestic worker abuse. The investigation compiles information on more than 140 cases of hidden exploitation. The main finding is that the private home is becoming the modern-day version of a sweatshop. The first part of the series reveals that "many immigrants hired to work as nannies and maids in the United States are instead being forced into virtual bondage, where some are beaten, barred from leaving and denied basic medical care." The victims' status is often illegal, and they are afraid to disclose the abuse for fear of being deported. Statistics quoted in the stories show that immigrant live-ins are generally paid much below minimum wages. The second part of the series looks at the uncertain justice that victims receive, and depicts their difficulties to achieve emotional recovery and financial independence.
Tags: immigrants; immigration; domestic work; foreign-born residents; Justice Department; Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS); Human Rights Watch; lawyers; sexual assault; visas; police; courts; international organizations; CAR
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Filling in the blanks
Washington City Paper examines the reasons for the relatively high dropout rate in D.C. The story looks at the difficulties that those who have left school face, when they try to earn adult basic education. A second, "shadow school system," which consists of adult learning centers at churches and community organizations, enrolls thousands of students per year. Few, however, succeed to pass the General Education Diploma (GED) exam. The reporter points to statistics showing that over the last decade the proportion of students graduating from high schools has been decreasing, while the proportion of those who earn their diploma through alternative means has been increasing. The very low high school graduation rate in D.C. affects the need for city services, limits the ability of private businesses to find trainable employees, and cripples the ability of young mothers and fathers to find jobs that pay a decent wage, the newspaper reports.
Tags: schools; poverty; low income; minorities; unemployment; labor; literacy; GED; adult learning; immigrants
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Forecast: Hazy
Discover reports on the difficulties that modern meteorologists still face in predicting the weather. The story points to several examples of deadly storms in the recent decade, which have not been predicted until few minutes before they hit. The article reveals that weather service boasts with using "numerical weather modeling," said to be the best scientific achievement of the 20th century, but doesn't event track the accuracy of three-day forecasts.
Tags: tornados; winds; precipitation; storms; snow; blizzards; atmospheric conditions; National Weather Service Storm Prediction; National Hurricane Center; National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration; National Severe Storm Laboratory
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Shawn Lowrance Investigation
A News Tribune reporter investigated the death of an adopted ten year old boy "who died under suspicious circumstances while fishing on a creek in Northwest Washington state on Oct. 9, 1999." The story focuses on how this child could be placed with a foster family who had a history of domestic violence and financial problems. In addition, the investigation investigated "the boy's death after detectives learned the parents had taken out $650,000 in life insurance on Shawn about a year before he died." Reporters also "questioned the thoroughness of the police investigation into Shawn's death and the difficulty small police departments sometimes face in handling complex cases."
Tags: Department of Health and Social Services; adoption; physical abuse; Insurance Commissioner
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The 737's Rudder-Control Concerns
The fall 1994 crash of USAir 427 prompted the Seattle Times to launch an investigation into Boeing 737 jetliners. The rudder system on the 737's can sometimes malfunction and make the airplane dangerously difficult to control. A USAir 737 crashed near Pittsburgh last September, killing all 132 passengers. United has accelerated replacement of a 737 rudder-system part in which investigators have found defects.
Tags: CAR Aviation FAA NTSB Service Difficulty Reports Commercial flights