In response to a concerning event involving a LATAM Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing has issued a precautionary advisory urging airlines operating this specific model to conduct thorough inspections of designated switches within the cockpit.
The incident occurred mid-flight from Sydney, Australia, to Auckland, New Zealand, resulting in a sudden and alarming descent in altitude that caused injuries to nearly fifty passengers, with thirteen requiring medical attention. Initially, LATAM attributed the occurrence to a “technical event,” but industry sources in the US hinted at the possibility of human error.
Speculation arose that a flight attendant accidentally activated a switch on the pilot’s seat while attending to passengers, potentially triggering the dramatic nosedive of the aircraft.
Boeing’s recommendation to inspect switches on flight deck seats stems from a service bulletin issued in 2017, emphasizing the importance of maintaining these switches. The company urged operators to perform inspections at the next maintenance opportunity but refrained from commenting further on the incident.
Concurrently, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the formation of a Corrective Action Review Board (CARB) comprising safety experts to investigate the matter and provide feedback to Boeing.
This incident compounds a series of safety concerns surrounding Boeing aircraft in recent years, notably the fatal crashes of 737 MAX planes in 2018 and 2019, resulting in the loss of over 350 lives. In January, a fuselage panel on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 Alaska Airlines jet blew off mid-flight, narrowly avoiding catastrophe.
Despite the absence of fatalities in the recent incident, persistent safety issues prompted US regulators to give Boeing 90 days to address quality control concerns, emphasizing the need for “real and profound improvements” within the company.
Boeing’s stock price dropped by 25 percent since the year started because of safety worries, making investors nervous about possible future accidents. People who buy Boeing’s planes are also worried and think Boeing needs to fix these safety problems quickly to make customers feel safe flying in their planes again.
While experts are still looking into the recent Dreamliner incident, everyone involved is watching closely for any news and hoping Boeing makes its operations and safety rules better.