US aviation authority orders urgent inspection of 895 Boeing 787 aircraft after incident with 50 injuries

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the United States has ordered an immediate inspection of 895 Boeing 787 aircraft to check the pilot and co-pilot seats. This instruction follows an incident involving a Latam Airlines plane in March, injuring 50 people.

According to a statement from the FAA, the plane flew from Australia To New Zealandsuffered a sudden loss of altitude after a crew member accidentally touched an uncovered switch on the pilot's seat, causing the seat to spin forward and the autopilot system to deactivate.

Since that incident, four more reports of similar problems have been received, with two of those incidents being traced to loose seat covers in the cockpit. In response, the FAA has issued an “Airworthiness Directive, effective immediately,” affecting specific models: the Boeing 787-8, 787-9, and 787-10. A total of 895 aircraft are affected, of which 158 are registered in the United States and 737 are registered in other countries.

Airlines are required to inspect the safety of captain and co-pilot seats to ensure that switch covers are intact and functional. This assessment must be completed within 30 days.