(Washington) Federal safety officials are requiring inspections of cockpit seats on Boeing 787 Dreamliners after one of the planes plunged when the captain’s seat tilted forward without warning and disconnected the plane’s autopilot system.
Boeing also halted test flights of a new version of its 777 jetliner after discovering a damaged structural part between the engine and the rest of the plane. The new model has not yet been approved by regulators.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced in an order to be issued Wednesday that it will require 787 operators to inspect both pilot seats for missing or cracked caps that cover a switch used to move the seats.
In March, during a flight by Chilean airline Latam Airlines, the captain’s seat moved forward and hit a switch that disconnected the autopilot system. The plane, which was flying from Australia to New Zealand, quickly fell about 400 feet before the co-pilot regained control, according to a preliminary report by Chilean authorities. Dozens of passengers were injured, according to media reports.
In the days after the incident, Boeing advised airlines to check 787 cockpit seats for loose caps on switches and instructed them on how to turn off power to the powered seats.
The FAA said it has received four other reports from Boeing of cockpit seats moving unexpectedly, including one in June.
The FAA said its safety order would affect 158 U.S.-registered aircraft.
Separately, the FAA issued a rule requiring airlines to inspect air intakes around the ducts of 787 engine anti-icing systems for signs of heat damage.
The agency proposed the rule in February after a report of damage to several engine air inlets caused by missing or “degraded” seals around the ducts.
Boeing identified the air intake problem in bulletins sent to airlines last year.
Boeing also suffered a setback in its efforts to obtain FAA certification for the 777-9, a new addition to its long-range 777 jet line. The plane is most notable for its folding wingtips, which would allow the larger model to fit through airport gates designed for other 777s.
Boeing said Tuesday it was halting flights after one of four test planes was found with cracks in a part called a thrust link, which helps balance the load between the engines and the plane. The problem emerged after a test flight back to Hawaii.
“During scheduled maintenance, we identified a component that was not functioning as expected,” Boeing said in a statement. “Our team is replacing the part and will resume flight testing when ready.”
Boeing said there are four thrust rods on each 777-9 — two on each engine for redundancy. The company said the component is new to the 777-9 and is not used on existing 777s or other planes.
Boeing, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, said it was keeping the FAA and airlines informed of the problem.
The problem with the component was first reported by specialist website The Air Current.