Examination Focused On The Area Of The Airplane Containing The ELT

The U.K. Air Accident Investigation Branch has made two safety recommendations following a fire which broke out on a Dreamliner parked at Heathrow Airport July 12.

According to the report, the examination has focused on the ELT installed aboard the airplane.

The AAIB said that examination of the ELT shows some indication of "disruption" to the battery cells of the Honeywell ELT on board the airplane. "It is not clear however, whether the combustion in the area of the ELT was initiated by a release of energy within the batteries or by an external mechanism such as an electrical short."

The AAIB has recommended that the FAA require that Honeywell RESCU406FN ELTs installed on Dreamliners be made "inert until appropriate airworthiness actions can be completed," and that the FAA, "in association with other regulatory authorities, conduct a safety review of installations of Lithium-powered emergency Locator Transmitter systems in other aircraft types and, where appropriate, initiate airworthiness actions."

Boeing said in a statement that the safety of passengers and crew members who fly aboard Boeing airplanes is “our highest priority.
 
"As a party to the investigation, Boeing supports the two recommendations from the UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), which we think are reasonable precautionary measures to take as the investigation proceeds. We are working proactively to support the regulatory authorities in taking appropriate action in response to these recommendations, in coordination with our customers, suppliers, and other commercial airplane manufacturers."

FMI: AAIB Report, www.boeing.com