The Federal Aviation Administration is mandating inspections of Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets following a “report of uncommanded movement of the Captain’s seat in the forward direction” that led to a rapid descent.
The inspection directive was issued as an airworthiness directive by the FAA. Airworthiness directives are regulatory requirements formulated by the FAA to address unsafe conditions in products, such as aircraft.
According to the FAA, the involuntary movement of the pilot’s seat resulted in a disconnection of the auto-pilot due to a control column input during a flight in March 2024. Despite the sudden descent, the first officer managed to regain control of the aircraft, albeit with several injuries reported on board.
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The incident occurred on a LATAM Flight 800 from Sydney to Auckland. 9 News in Australia reported that 30-40 individuals were thrown into the air within the plane during the nosedive.
Subsequently, the FAA received four additional reports of spontaneous pilot seat movements. The FAA determined that three of the occurrences were caused by loose forward/aft rocker switch caps, while two others are still being investigated.
The investigation follows allegations by Boeing engineer Sam Salehpour that Boeing 787 jets may have defective parts, including improperly sealed gaps in the structures, which airlines may not be equipped to detect.
Salehpour initially raised his concerns with The New York Times.
“He has repeatedly reported to Boeing management serious concerns about Boeing’s current production and quality control processes, which he believes are creating potentially catastrophic safety risks,” Salehpour’s attorney Debra S. Katz previously said in a letter to Department of Transportation administrator Michael Whitaker.
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“During his work on the 787, he witnessed Boeing taking shortcuts in the shimming process during assembly, resulting in debris left in interfaces and deformation of composite material,” added Katz.
Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun has acknowledged the challenges in addressing employee concerns and has committed to enhancing the corporate culture to prioritize such matters.
