The sudden loss of altitude on a Latam Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner that departed Sydney and was bound for Auckland was apparently caused by a button that was pressed by mistake. This is what the Wall Street Journal reported, citing American sources regarding the investigation into what happened at the beginning of this week.
The accident in the cabin
The Wall Street Journal, citing American sources, wrote that the flight attendant accidentally bumped into the cockpit seat and pressed a button. The automated system pushed the pilot to the control stick and caused passengers to panic due to the sudden loss of altitude. Only an immediate reaction from the man at the helm was he able to avoid the worst, regain control of the plane and land safely.
Boeing memo
Boeing confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that it sent a notice Thursday evening to airlines with a 787 Dreamliner in their fleet that includes “instructions for inspecting and maintaining cockpit seat switches.” He also confirmed that he had already sent a similar notice to airlines in 2017.
Fifty injured due to loss of altitude
About fifty passengers were injured when the plane crashed, and some were thrown onto the cabin ceiling, as CNN reported. Investigators from the New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission are examining information in the black boxes and an audio recording of what was said in the cockpit.
A new accident involving a Boeing 737 last Friday
A United Airlines Boeing 737 lost an outer panel during a flight last Friday. United Airlines said that the damage to the Boeing 737-800 was discovered during an inspection after the plane coming from San Francisco landed safely with 139 passengers and six crew members on board in the southern city of Medford. The aircraft will be 25 years old. “We will conduct a comprehensive inspection of the aircraft and make any necessary repairs before it returns to service,” United said in a statement. “We will also conduct an investigation to better understand how the damage occurred.” The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the matter.
Boeing is currently under intense scrutiny after the new 737-9 MAX nearly lost part of its fuselage during climb after takeoff in January.