ana7872.jpg
The FAA has grounded U.S. based operations of Boeing's 787 Dreamliner after a second incident involving a faulty battery that sparked an emergency landing in Japan.(AP image)

FAA grounds Boeing 787 Dreamliners over battery problems

BY MyNorthwest.com  on January 16, 2013 @ 3:19 pm (Updated: 5:43 am - 1/17/13 )

The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded all Boeing 787 Dreamliners operating out of the U.S. over fears the plane's batteries could spark fires. Shortly after 787s in Europe, Qatar and India were also grounded.

The FAA issued an emergency airworthiness directive because of the meltdown of a lithium ion battery and threat of fire on board an All Nippon Airways 787 early Wednesday in Japan that prompted an emergency landing and evacuation.

"Before further flight, operators of U.S.-registered, Boeing 787 aircraft must demonstrate to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that the batteries are safe and in compliance," the FAA said in a statement.

"The FAA will work with the manufacturer and carriers to develop a corrective action plan to allow the U.S. 787 fleet to resume operations as quickly and safely as possible."

The Japanese incident followed a similar one on board another 787 last week at Boston's Logan Airport.

"The root cause of these failures is currently under investigation. These conditions, if not corrected, could result in damage to critical systems and structures, and the potential for fire in the electrical compartment," the FAA said.

United Airlines is currently the only U.S. carrier operating the 787 with six of the new jetliners in service.

Japan's All Nippon Airways and Japan Air Lines both grounded their fleets of 787s earlier Wednesday after the latest incident.

The other airlines currently operating the 787 are Air India, Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, LAN of Chile and LOT of Poland.

In a statement issued late Wednesday, Boeing wrote:

The safety of passengers and crew members who fly aboard Boeing airplanes is our highest priority.

Boeing is committed to supporting the FAA and finding answers as quickly as possible. The company is working around the clock with its customers and the various regulatory and investigative authorities. We will make available the entire resources of The Boeing Company to assist.

We are confident the 787 is safe and we stand behind its overall integrity. We will be taking every necessary step in the coming days to assure our customers and the traveling public of the 787's safety and to return the airplanes to service.

Boeing deeply regrets the impact that recent events have had on the operating schedules of our customers and the inconvenience to them and their passengers."

"This is a very tough blow to the aircraft and Boeing," said former NTSB head and CBS aviation analyst Mark Rosenker. "Through this airworthiness directive they're going to keep these aircraft on the ground until they can prove to the FAA that the batteries are safe and in compliance with certification."

The FAA had already ordered a review of the 787's critical systems last week following a number of incidents.

Kevin Hyatt, President and CEO of the Alexandria, Va. based Flight Safety Foundation, told KIRO Radio while it was a difficult decision for the FAA, it was the right one to guarantee safety.

"Especially when you start to think about smoke or fire on board, that was probably the point then that more focus was going to be put on this area," he said.

Boeing shares fell two percent in after-hours trading to $72.80 after the FAA announcement.

MyNorthwest.com, Staff report
The team that brings you MyNorthwest.com
More Local News
Top Stories

  • Otherworldly
    Amazon has new plans for huge biospheres on its new campus

  • One
    Microsoft calls its new Xbox 'truly intelligent TV'

  • Skillet Spreads
    Seattle's Skillet Street Food and its creator are growing way beyond the Airstream
MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (27)


  • Add A Comment

  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    It's the right thing to do.
    January 16, 2013 2:50 pm
    Fix this Lithium battery and the bad fuel valve and continue on.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ToldYa wrote...
    tiger team time
    January 16, 2013 3:19 pm
    ...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    If the unions insist on sharing the company's successes
    January 16, 2013 3:22 pm
    They should be ready to shoulder it's share of the company's failures. No raise fa you!!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Zoeller wrote...
    What shark75 said =
    January 16, 2013 3:46 pm
    Ha ha ha... You are correct. Airbut is jumping for joy right now!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • William Lawn wrote...
    A decidedly middle class wage, shark
    January 16, 2013 3:54 pm
    Even slightly lower middle class.

    Why are you so jealous?

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    only that you are a dimwit.
    January 16, 2013 8:08 pm
    Today an expert cited the root cause as outsourcing. Outsourcing to non unionized labor. Dimwit, the union has nothing to do with the battery problem,.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    by dimwit I mean shark,
    January 16, 2013 8:09 pm
    the anti union troll.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • William Lawn wrote...
    You morons
    January 16, 2013 3:52 pm
    It is a third party battery malfunctioning, assemble had nothing to do with it.

    Idiots!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Wiiliam, Dont expect this bunch of buffoons to understand that mechanics only assemble thew parts.
    January 16, 2013 8:11 pm
    they don't engineer them and in the case of the dream liner, the engineering was outsourced.....to places like France.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • flipper wrote...
    Boeing and Brittany Spears...
    January 16, 2013 3:58 pm
    Oops, I did it again...
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Ron_Spins wrote...
    Lithium Batteries
    January 16, 2013 4:58 pm
    When they short out and burn they reach temperatures of 1400 to 2000 degrees. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickel%E2%80%93metal_hydride_battery //////Toyota has used NICKEL METAL HYDRIDE battery in the Prius because a lithium battery can short and cause fires.Look at the laptop fires. Fix this problem with a different battery design for now..the lithium was just considered for weight savings ..big deal.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • JMGilday wrote...
    Dell laptops liked to burn up too
    January 16, 2013 5:14 pm
    and they burned HOT. Hope Boeing nips this in the bud and all the U.S. OPERATED 787's get baack in service soon - JAL and All Nippon are NOT affected and will keep flying.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpitantso wrote...
    Non union workers
    January 16, 2013 5:28 pm
    From what I hear these issues come out of Charleston SC plant which is right to work state
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • adiru wrote...
    Where did you hear this idiotic rumor from?
    January 16, 2013 7:51 pm
    The ANAs were built in Everett. And besides, if it is a battery problem, it's a vendor issue. If it's a design problem, it's an engineering issue. The assemblers - union or not, have ZERO to do with this.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    Yup,
    January 16, 2013 8:18 pm
    whomever made the decision to move to SC should be fired.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    Delco Ray has the fix -
    January 16, 2013 5:54 pm
    but the weight of the AAA Batteries the plane won't be able to get off the ground!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • shark75 wrote...
    "Third Party" Batteries
    January 16, 2013 6:16 pm
    Don't malfunction until they are installed. Either it was a design flaw, manufacturer defect or improper installation. We shall see!!!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • fartforce1 wrote...
    You wont see anything fool.
    January 16, 2013 8:13 pm
    until some red wing radio schmuck tells you what to see.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }