Passengers have criticised the airline over its poor communication following the incident.
Video / Alyse Wright
A dramatic nosedive that injured 50 passengers on a Latam Airlines service into Auckland service last week may have been triggered ‘accidentally’ by a crewmember delivering a meal.
Boeing is telling airlines to inspect switches on pilots’ seats in its 787 Dreamliner jets after a published report said an accidental cockpit seat movement likely caused the sudden plunge of a Latam Airlines plane flying into Auckland.
On Friday Boeing said it recommended that airlines inspect the motorised cockpit seats the next time they perform maintenance on their 787s. The aircraft manufacturer pointed to instructions that include how to disable motors that move the seats.
The company described its advisory as a “precautionary measure”. It did not link the memo to what happened last 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.
Latam Airlines, based in Chile, initially said there was “a technical event during the flight which caused a strong movement”. The airline said the plane “experienced a strong shake during flight, the cause of which is currently under investigation”.
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.
Passengers at Auckland International Airport check-in for a replacement Latam flight to Chile following the incident. Photo / Dean Purcell
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 Airlines said Boeing’s instructions would have no impact on its operations. United declined to comment.
The Wall Street Journal reported last week 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 US industry officials who were briefed on preliminary findings from the investigation.
The newspaper said Boeing recommended that airlines check to make sure the switches are securely covered – they are not supposed to be used during flights – and told them how to turn off power to the seat motor.
Chile’s aviation regulator has sent investigators to New Zealand and, under international accords, will lead the investigation. It has not released any findings.
The incident could ratchet up scrutiny of Boeing, which is already at a high level since a panel blew out of an Alaska Airlines 737 Max over Oregon in January. The FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Justice Department are conducting separate investigations related to the blowout and Boeing’s manufacturing of Max jets.
