The US Federal Aviation Administration announced on Monday that it will mandate inspections of Boeing 787 Dreamliners after a March incident where a LATAM Airlines aircraft experienced an abrupt mid-air dive, injuring over 50 passengers. The FAA identified the uncommanded movement of the captain’s seat as the likely cause, which led to the auto-pilot disconnection. The agency has received five reports of similar issues with the captain and first officer seats on 787s, with two currently under investigation, the latest being in June. This airworthiness directive affects 158 US-registered and 737 global aircraft, requiring airlines to inspect the seats on 787-7, 787-9, and 787-10 models for missing or cracked rocker switch caps or damaged switch cover assemblies within 30 days. Necessary corrective actions must be taken if any issues are detected. The FAA warned that uncontrolled horizontal movement of an occupied seat could lead to a rapid descent, posing a serious risk to passengers and crew. Neither Boeing nor LATAM Airlines responded promptly to requests for comment.
Additionally, Boeing reported on Monday that it has suspended test flights for its 777-9 model awaiting certification due to a component failure identified during a maintenance check between the engine and aircraft structure. The FAA stated that Boeing informed them of a damaged component discovered after a recent 777-9 flight test. Boeing started certification flight testing for the delayed 777-9 in July with FAA regulators on board after obtaining Type Inspection Authorization. The company noted that no immediate flight tests were scheduled for other test aircraft, and the part in question is specific to the 777-9.
