Boeing is to investigate an electrical wiring defect found in the fire extinguisher system on three of its 787 Dreamliners, it was announced today.
The fault was found on B787s operated by All Nippon Airways and reported to Boeing yesterday.
After ANA revealed its concerns, a Japan Airlines Dreamliner travelling from Tokyo to Helsinki was turned around so engineers could check its wiring.
Boeing said in a statement: "The safety of those flying on Boeing aeroplanes is our top priority. We will thoroughly examine this issue and take the appropriate steps."
The manufacturer will now investigate whether the faulty wiring would cause the extinguisher to malfunction during an engine fire.
The news is the latest in a long line of problems to hit the Dreamliner this year.
Less than three weeks ago, Boeing asked airlines worldwide to inspect an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) following a fire on a parked Dreamliner in July (see online news, July 29).
That move came two weeks after a UK regulator cited a battery within the beacon as the source of the blaze on an Ethiopian Airlines B787 which closed both runways at Heathrow for 90 minutes (see online news, July 12).
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also issued an airworthiness directive instructing airlines to take out the ELT from Dreamliners or carry out an inspection of the devices.
Boeing then advised rival manufacturers to take similar precautions.
Also last month, ANA reported that it had found damaged battery wiring on two ELTs during safety checks and United Airlines said it had located a pinched wire on one if its B787s.
The ELT battery is not the same faulty battery pack which caused all Dreamliners to be grounded from January to April (see online news, January 16).
Graham Smith
