US aircraft manufacturer Boeing is telling customers operating its 787 aircraft to follow relevant operating instructions to check switches on the cockpit seats, days after a plane briefly nosedive during flight, injuring several people on board.
Boeing said it was taking this "early warning measure" to remind customers flying 787 aircraft to consult its so-called service bulletins issued in 2017, which included instructions for "inspecting and maintaining cockpit seat switches."
"We recommend that operators perform inspections at the next maintenance opportunity," Boeing said.
Earlier reports suggested that a cockpit seat failure may have been the cause of the plane's emergency landing. In the accident on March 11, a Latam Airlines Group SA Boeing 787 flight was flying from Sydney to Auckland when it suddenly made a sudden landing. According to reports, a flight attendant delivering meals accidentally touched a switch on the seat, causing the pilot to rush forward toward the console, causing the nose of the plane to drop sharply.
Witnesses described the incident as causing passengers, including at least one infant, to be thrown against the cabin ceiling. One person was seriously injured and seven passengers and three crew members were taken to hospital after the plane landed in Auckland.