NTSB Releases Initial Report, Recommendations on Dreamliner Battery Fires

Dean Sigler Electric Powerplants, Sustainable Aviation Leave a Comment

January 2013 was a time of great concern for operators of the Boeing 787 “Dreamliner.” On the 7th, an empty 787 operated by Japan Airlines experienced a fire in the main battery pack.  On the 16th, an All Nippon Airways 787 made an emergency landing and evacuated everyone on board on emergency slides after the flight crew responded to a computer warning of smoke inside one of the electrical compartments.  Other incidents pointed to issues in the use and transport of lithium-ion batteries such as those used in the big Boeing. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has directed several recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), derived from the agency’s ongoing investigation of the Japan Airlines incident only, at this time.  Certainly the ongoing investigation of the All Nippon flight incident will merit a separate report. Despite the fact that many industry “insiders” have offered opinions as to how Boeing should have designed and constructed the two lithium-ion battery …