Boeing issued an advisory for airlines to inspect switches on pilots’ seats in its 787 Dreamliner airplanes following the incident from the LATAM Airlines flight to New Zealand that injured 50 people.
According to ABC News, a “published report said an accidental cockpit seat movement likely caused the sudden plunge of a LATAM Airlines plane flying to New Zealand.”
The airplane manufacturer recommends airlines check the motorized cockpit seats during the next maintenance check for the 787s.
NEW: Boeing warned airlines flying its 787 Dreamliner model to inspect certain switches in the cockpit, after a New Zealand-bound LATAM plane dropped violently mid-flight, injuring dozens of travelers https://t.co/1yCxuVsa3c pic.twitter.com/eM9iZz6ZYQ
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) March 16, 2024
Per ABC News:
The company described its advisory as a “precautionary measure.” It did not link the memo to what happened this week on a LATAM Airlines flight between Australia and New Zealand.
The Federal Aviation Administration said, however, that the Boeing memo was issued “in response to the incident on LATAM Flight 800.” The FAA said it was convening a panel of experts to review Boeing’s message to airlines.
ADVERTISEMENTLATAM Airlines, based in Chile, initially said there was “a technical event during the flight which caused a strong movement.” In an update Tuesday, the airline said the plane “experienced a strong shake during flight, the cause of which is currently under investigation.”
Boeing tells airlines to check pilot seats after report that an accidental shift led plane to plunge https://t.co/DlM50nzzmF
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) March 16, 2024
Boeing alerted airlines to a potential problem with loose switches on the pilot seats of its 787 Dreamliner jets after one of the planes went into a dive this week on a flight from Australia to New Zealand that injured 50 people. https://t.co/SHwDfG0Rcy
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 16, 2024
From the Associated Press:
Passengers reported that when the Dreamliner dropped without warning, people not wearing seatbelts were tossed from their seats and into the cabin ceiling and aisles. The plane later landed at Auckland Airport as scheduled.
About 50 people were injured, according to emergency crews in Auckland.
The 787 is a two-aisle plane that debuted in 2011 and is used mostly for long international flights. The version involved in the LATAM flight can carry up to about 300 passengers.
United Airlines, with 71 Dreamliners, and American Airlines with 59, are among the leading users of the plane. American said Boeing’s instructions would have no impact on its operations. United declined to comment.
The Wall Street Journal reported late Thursday that a flight attendant serving a meal in the cockpit hit a switch on the back of a seat that pushed the pilot into controls on the 787, pushing down the nose of the plane. The newspaper cited anonymous U.S. industry officials who were briefed on preliminary findings from the investigation.
