Boeing says it’s in contact with LATAM, the operator of Flight LA800 following the dramatic events that unfolded during the flight above the Tasman Sea on Monday.
“We are thinking of the passengers and crew from flight LA800, and we commend everyone involved in the response effort. We are in contact with our customer, and Boeing stands ready to support investigation-related activities as requested,” a spokesperson for the plane manufacturer told TravelTalk.
The so-called Black Boxes have now been taken from the aircraft and will be analysed by authorities to determine what caused the plane to suddenly lose altitude, resulting in injuries to 50 passengers and crew on board the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
The incident is making headlines around the world as Boeing continues to be put under the microscope by politicians and the wider travelling public.
And, the ongoing investigations into Boeing took a grim turn on Monday with the death of a prominent Boeing whistle-blower.
John Barnett was in Charleston preparing for a deposition hearing ahead of a lawsuit against Boeing.
The former quality manager had raised concerns about manufacturing procedures at Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner factory in South Carolina.
He was found dead on Monday morning, with local officials describing the death as self-inflicted.
Since the incident involving an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 MAX, there has been a series of serious issues involving Boeing jets.
Timeline:
March 7: Wheel falls off
A United Boeing 777-200, on flight UA35 from San Francisco to Osaka Kansai Japan, experienced a wheel detachment from the gear strut shortly after takeoff, causing it to fall to the ground.
The aircraft retracted its gear and continued its ascent before diverting to Los Angeles.
Three parked cars sustained damage on the ground, and an airfield safety employee was injured in the incident
March 8: Runway excursion
A United Boeing 737-8 MAX, operating as flight UA2477 from Memphis to Houston Intercontinental with 160 passengers and 6 crew on board, successfully landed on Houston’s runway 27. Upon reaching taxi speed and attempting to turn right onto the last taxiway, the aircraft skidded and veered straight after turning approximately 45 degrees. It ultimately came to a stop on soft ground off the runway, with the left main gear collapsed.
March 8: Engine fire
A United Boeing 737-900, operating as Flight UA1118 from Houston Intercontinental to Fort Myers with 167 people on board, was ascending through approximately 12,000 feet out of Houston when the crew halted the climb. This was in response to the left-hand engine emitting a series of bangs and streaks of flames.
The crew promptly notified air traffic controllers that the engine had experienced an engine stall.
March 11: Hydraulic fluid leakage
During its initial climb out of Sydney on flight UA830 from Sydney to San Francisco, a United Boeing 777-300 experienced hydraulic fluid leakage from the right-hand main gear upon retracting the gear.
The aircraft successfully completed the gear retraction and continued its ascent. However, approximately 340 nautical miles east of Sydney over the Pacific Ocean, the crew opted to turn back and return to Sydney. They performed an alternate gear extension and safely landed with open gear doors, without any further incident.
