A ‘technical problem’ on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which injured at least 50 passengers and crew on a LATAM Airlines flight from Sydney to Auckland on Monday, could have been a result of the pilot’s seat suddenly moving forward, the Air Current reported.
Citing sources briefed on the investigation, the publication said the seat movement was accidentally ‘induced’ by the pilot, which resulted in the nose suddenly pitching down.
Passengers onboard LATAM flight LA800 described how the Boeing 787 suddenly dropped and unexpectedly dropped, causing anyone who wasn’t wearing their seat belt to be thrown about the cabin.
First responders rushed to Auckland Airport to treat the dozens of passengers and crew who suffered a variety of injuries, including lacerations, bruises, concussions and broken bones.
At least 13 people onboard the flight had to be transported to a local hospital, and one patient was described as being in a serious condition.
LATAM said in a statement that a ‘technical problem’ was responsible for the ‘strong shake’ during the flight, but the airline has refused to provide further details, referring the media to Chilean accident investigators who will be leading the probe because LATAM is based in Chile.
The Air Current reported on Wednesday, however, that the investigation is focused on one of the pilot’s seats suddenly moving forward which pushed the pilots onto the controls and caused the violent movement of the aircraft.
There are several theories as to why the pilot’s seat suddenly moved forward with TAC reporting that an electrical short circuit may have been responsible.
The pilot’s seat on the 787 Dreamliner is electrically operated with a set of controls located at the inboard side of the pilot’s. There is also a second set of horizontal movement controls located at the top of the seat which is to be used in the event of a pilot becoming incapacitated.
One theory gaining traction on social media is that a flight attendant accidentally leaned on the second set of electric controls, causing the seat to move forward and trapping the pilot against the control column.
This secondary control switch, however, is fitted with a protective cover to prevent accidental activation, and any movement should be relatively slow.
Boeing is expected to release a safety message to all operators of the Boeing 787 to address what happened on LATAM flight 800, TAC reported. Boeing has refused to comment on the incident.
