Japanese Civil Aviation Bureau Will Lead Probe, Release Information

The NTSB will participate in the investigation of a smoke event involving the main battery of a Japan Airlines B-787 that occurred while the aircraft was parked at Tokyo's Narita Airport on Jan. 14, the board said in a news release.

The investigation is being led by the Japan Civil Aviation Bureau. NTSB aircraft systems investigator Mike Bauer will travel to Japan to assist with the investigation.

All information regarding the investigation will be released by the JCAB.

According to media reports, a mechanic working in the cockpit of the airplane noticed smoke coming from the area of a relief vent designed to carry fumes out of the Dreamliner's re-designed battery containment. The battery was discovered to be "spewing liquid inside the battery container," according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Boeing said that the incident shows that its new battery system, developed last year after an incident aboard a JAL Dreamliner at Boston Logan International Airport and others, works as intended. Boeing will also assist in the investigation, the planemaker said in a statement.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.boeing.com