The Boeing Aircraft Corporation has recommended that airlines check the switches on pilot seats in 787 Dreamliner aircraft after a published report said that an accidental movement of a seat in the cockpit probably caused the sudden "kidney" of a LATAM Airlines plane flying to New Zealand, UNN reports citing AP.
Details
On Friday, Boeing recommended that airlines check the motorized seats in the cockpit during the next maintenance of 787s. The manufacturer provided instructions on how to disable the motors that move the seats. This advisory was announced as a "precautionary measure" and was not directly linked to the incident on the LATAM Airlines flight this week.
However, the US Federal Aviation Administration said that Boeing's recommendation was a response to the incident. The FAA is convening a group of experts to analyze Boeing's communication to airlines.
The Chilean airline LATAM Airlines initially reported a "technical event that caused a strong movement" during the flight. On Tuesday, the airline clarified that the plane experienced "severe shaking" during the flight, and the cause is still being determined. Witnesses said that during the sudden fall of the Dreamliner, people who were not wearing seat belts were thrown to the ceiling of the cabin and thrown into the aisles. The plane later landed on schedule at Auckland Airport.
The incident could increase scrutiny of Boeing, which is already under intense scrutiny after an incident in January when a panel broke off an Alaska Airlines 737 Max jet over Oregon. The FAA, the National Transportation Safety Board, and the Department of Justice are conducting separate investigations into the production and operation of Boeing's Max jets.
Recall
As reported, a flight attendant accidentally pressed the button on the pilot's seat during a Latam Airlines flight from Sydney to Auckland, causing the pilot to be pushed onto the control panel, resulting in a sudden "kidney" of the plane, which injured about 50 passengers.