Boeing has ordered airlines to check the cockpit seats of its 787 Dreamliner plane, the corporate said Friday, after a Latam Airlines plane suddenly fell during a flight to Auckland, New Zealand, on Monday, injuring passengers.
The drop in altitude appears to have occurred when a flight attendant pressed a turn on the seat, which put the pilot on the controls of the plane, The Wall Street Journal reported this week, citing unnamed U.S. industry officials. Aviation regulators are investigating the incident and haven’t released any findings.
In an announcement, Boeing said it reminded airlines of a 2017 safety memo that instructed them on how to check and maintain switches on crew cabin seats.
“The investigation into Flight LA800 is ongoing and we are reporting any potential findings to the investigating authorities,” the corporate said. “We recommend operators carry out inspections at the next opportunity for maintenance,” he added.
The shocking fall of the Latam plane was documented on video recorded by passengers. The plane plummeted before quickly recovering, said one passenger, Brian Jokat, likening it to “flying over a roller coaster and going down.”
The fall left a minimum of one passenger in critical condition; After the plane landed in Auckland, 11 other people were also taken to Auckland hospitals. In total, several dozen passengers suffered injuries, most of them light.
Regulators, airlines and travelers have been intensely focused on the standard and safety of Boeing aircraft because the Jan. 5 incident by which a panel cut off an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9, forcing the pilots to make an emergency landing. In 2018 and 2019, two 737 Max 8 planes crashed in Indonesia and Ethiopia, killing almost 350 people.
In a memo to 787 flight crews, American Airlines said it had “identified a potential hazard” related to horizontal power control switches at the highest of pilots’ rear seats.
The memo, reviewed by The New York Times, said the airline’s technology team would “ensure these switches are properly secured” and asked 787 captains to “instruct all pilots, flight attendants and passengers on board When flying, it is important not to use the switch on the top of the pilot’s seat when it is occupied.”
In the photo of the seatback included within the note, the switch appears to have a canopy.
The Federal Aviation Administration said in an announcement Friday that it’ll convene a panel of experts to review Boeing’s communications to airlines in regards to the change, including the 2017 memo, and supply comments to the corporate. “The agency will continue to monitor the situation closely,” it said.
The twin-aisle 787 Dreamliner jet is considered one of Boeing’s most vital aircraft. According to Boeing, its three models can carry 248 to 336 passengers and are utilized by airlines on international and transcontinental flights.
The Latama flight was flying from Sydney, Australia, to Auckland after which scheduled to fly to Santiago, Chile, where the airline is predicated. In an announcement Friday, the corporate said it was cooperating with investigators.
Mark Walker reporting contributed.
