Boeing orders major safety checks to 787 cockpits after simple mishap on LATAM ... trends now
Boeing is instructing airlines to inspect switches on pilots' seats in its flagship 787 Dreamliner jets - after a published report said an accidental cockpit seat movement likely caused the sudden plunge of a LATAM Airlines plane earlier this week.
The announcement, issued Thursday, came hours before a United Airlines plane built by Boeing was grounded after it was found to be missing a panel following a flight.
That plane was a Boeing 737-824, and the cause of the midair malfunction - like several other in recent weeks - is still under investigation.
As for the LATAM flight out of Australia, Boeing said it recommended airlines inspect the motorized cockpit seats the next time they perform maintenance.
The aircraft manufacturer went on to point to instructions that include how to disable motors that move the seats in its 787s, before billing the advisory as no more than a 'precautionary measure.'
The United Airlines jet, flying out of Australia, had to turn around midflight Monday because of a midair mechanical issue. that caused 'a strong movement' that jolted passengers in their seats, reportedly sending one into the ceiling
The announcement, issued Thursday, came hours before a United Airlines plane built by Boeing was grounded after it was found to be missing a panel following a flight. Pictured: The missing part on the 25-year-old Boeing 737-824, a much older model than the 787-Dreamliner
'Closing the spring-loaded seat back switch guard onto a loose/detached rocker switch cap can potentially jam the rocker switch, resulting in unintended seat movement,' Boeing brass warned in the memo.
The memo adds that this was already a known issue, and that Boeing had issued a similar service notice in 2017.
The memo doesn't indicate whether a loose switch cover played a role in the incident on the LATAM flight, during which a flight attendant accidentally hit a switch on the pilot’s seat while serving a meal, officials said.
This, in turn, caused a motorized feature to push the pilot into the controls and push down the plane’s nose, causing the plane to plunge and jolt passengers in their seats.
Roughly 50 people were treated by first responders and at least five were hospitalized after the plane dipped violently, LATAM airline and first responders both said after the fact -
The switch, on the back of the chair, is usually covered and isn’t supposed to be used when a pilot is in the seat, at a time where the firm is already under heavy scrutiny.
That attention stems from a separate incident involving a supposedly state of the art 737 Max that happened in early January, where an unused emergency exit door blew off the brand-new plane shortly after take-off from Portland International.
Feds have been vetting the incident ever since, during which time Boeing's value has nosedived an eye-watering $150billion to $112billion. Also within that span, the firm has seen at least five other planes face technical failures.
The memo doesn't indicate whether a loose switch cover played a role in the incident on the LATAM flight, during which a flight attendant accidentally hit a switch on the pilot’s seat while serving a meal. The 787 Dreamliner that suddenly lost altitude mid-flight is seen here
This caused a motorized feature to push the pilot into the controls and push down the plane’s nose, causing the plane to plunge and jolt passengers in their seats, reportedly sending one into the cabin's ceiling. Pictured: A new Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner not involved in the incident
The switch, on the back of the chair, is usually covered and isn’t supposed to be used when a pilot is in the seat, at a time where the firm is already under heavy scrutiny. Pictured: A Passenger being embraced by his mother after touching down from the horror flight
That attention stems from a separate incident involving a supposedly state of the art 737 Max that happened in early January, where an unused emergency exit door blew off the brand-new plane shortly after take-off from Portland International
The first, also involving a Boeing 737, occurred March 4 shortly after takeoff from Florida's Fort Meyers, and saw one of the plane's engines catch fire.
Footage from the cabin showed passengers screaming and crying as they witnessed flames billowing up over one of the plane's wings, after one of the turbines on the United flight somehow ingested bubble wrap before the departure, the airline said.
No one was injured during the incident.
A few days later, on another United flight, a wheel fell off a Boeing 777-200 shortly after takeoff in San Francisco.
As was the case with the other mishaps, it occurred shortly after take-off, and saw the 256lb wheel crush several cars parked below after plummeting to the ground.
The United Airlines flight on its way to Osaka was barely off the runway when the Boeing 777-200's wheel came off, with footage showing it laying on the runway following the frightening fall.
The plane with 235 passengers and 14 crew diverted to Los Angeles Airport after it was alerted to the landing gear failure at 11:35am Thursday, before eventually landing safely at LAX at around 1.20pm with no further incident.
No injuries reported on the ground.
Feds have been vetting the incident ever since, during which time Boeing's value has nosedived an eye-watering $150billion to $112billion. Also within that span, the firm has seen at least five other planes face technical failures. Pictured: Passengers on the stricken LATAM flight
The first, also involving a Boeing 737, occurred March 4 shortly after takeoff from Florida's Fort Meyers, and saw one of the plane's engines catch fire. Footage from the cabin showed passengers screaming as they witnessed flames billowing over one of the plane's wings
As was the case with the other mishaps, it occurred shortly after take-off, and saw the 256lb wheel crush several cars parked below after plummeting to the ground
Then, on Friday, On Friday, a United Airlines aircraft skidded off a runway into a grassy area after a rough landing in Houston
The aircraft, which arrived from Memphis, is said to have suffered some form of gear collapse as it exited the runway at George Bush Airport. The 160 passengers and six crew were not injured
Footage showed the plane stopped with its wing touching the ground by the side of the runway, while passengers were hurried off from an emergency gate ladder. The plane, in that case, was also a Boeing 737 Max
United, at the time, issued a statement that seemingly attempted to quell riders' concerns: 'The 777-200 has six tires on each of its two main landing gear struts.
'The aircraft is designed to land safely with missing or damaged tires.'
The craft is the same model seen leaking hydraulic fluid in Sydney on Monday.
Then, on Friday, On Friday, a United Airlines aircraft skidded off a runway into a grassy area after a rough landing in Houston.
The aircraft, which arrived from Memphis, is said to have suffered some form of gear collapse as it exited the runway at George Bush Airport. The 160 passengers and six crew were not injured.
Footage showed the plane stopped with its wing touching the ground by the side of the runway, while passengers were hurried off from an emergency gate ladder.
The plane, in that case, was also a Boeing 737 Max.
A few hours later, a flight from San Francisco to Mexico City was diverted to LA after an issue with the plane’s hydraulic system, United Airlines said - this time referring to a Boeing 777-300, the same model seen spewing hydraulic fluid on Monday.
