Cockpit mishap may have caused plunge on Latam Boeing 787: Report

The abrupt mid-air descent experienced during a Latam Airlines flight from Sydney to Auckland, which resulted in injuries to 50 passengers on Monday, was purportedly triggered by a mishap involving a cockpit seat which allegedly led to the pilot being pushed into the controls of the Boeing 787, according to a report, citing industry officials from the United States.

According to a Wall Street Journal report, a flight attendant unintentionally hit a switch located on the pilot’s seat while serving a meal, causing a motorised failure that pushed the pilot into the controls of the plane.

The switch has a protective cover by default and is not meant to be used while a pilot is in the seat, added the report.

As many as 50 passengers aboard the Sydney to Auckland flight needed medical assistance, with several individuals finding themselves pressed against the aircraft’s ceiling during an abrupt descent. Latam, an airline headquartered in Chile, attributed the incident to a “technical event” on the Dreamliner that resulted in significant turbulence.

According to the report, a spokesman for Latam said the company is working with authorities on the investigation, but declined to comment further until the investigation is finished.

“We are in contact with our customer, and Boeing stands ready to support investigation-related activities as requested,” WSJ quoted Boeing as saying in a statement.

The investigation is continuing and evidence can emerge later to contradict preliminary findings.

On Wednesday, two investigators representing Chile’s civil aviation agency landed in New Zealand to spearhead the inquiry. Accompanying them is an expert from New Zealand, WSJ quoted a spokesperson for the agency as saying on Thursday.

The Latam aircraft, which experienced a sudden descent, returned to Chile with only crew members aboard and is currently stationed at Santiago’s airport, added the spokesperson.

Boeing is anticipated to distribute a memorandum regarding the seat reconfiguration to airlines operating the 787 Dreamliner, a popular wide-body aircraft frequently utilised for long-haul international routes. Earlier, the Air Current, an industry publication, highlighted a cockpit seat adjustment as a focal point of the investigation.

Following an incident on 5 January involving a fuselage panel detaching from an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX aircraft mid-flight, Boeing is under scrutiny for unrelated manufacturing and safety deficiencies.