FAA Orders Inspections of Boeing 787 Dreamliners After Safety Incidents

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandates inspections of Boeing 787 Dreamliners after a LATAM Airlines incident and five similar reports. The directive affects 158 U.S.-registered and 737 global airplanes, requiring checks for seat issues. Boeing also halted 777-9 test flights due to a failed component.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced Monday a new directive requiring immediate inspections of Boeing 787 Dreamliners. This follows a March incident where a LATAM Airlines plane suddenly dove mid-air, injuring over 50 passengers. The dive was attributed to the uncommanded movement of the captain's seat, which led to auto-pilot disconnection. The FAA has recorded five such cases, with the latest in June, and two are still under investigation.

The airworthiness directive affects 158 U.S.-registered and 737 global airplanes. Airlines must inspect the captain's and first officer's seats on 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 models within 30 days for missing or cracked rocker switch caps or cracked switch cover assemblies, performing corrective actions if necessary.

The FAA warned that uncommanded seat movements could cause rapid descents and severe injuries. Boeing and LATAM Airlines have not yet commented. Separately, Boeing has stopped test flights of the 777-9 pending certification due to a failed engine-to-airplane component identified during a maintenance check. Certification tests had just begun in July with FAA regulators aboard, but no further tests are currently planned.

(With inputs from agencies.)