On 11 March 2024, a LATAM AirlinesBoeing 787-9 operating as LATAM Airlines Flight 800, flying a scheduled international passenger flight from Sydney, Australia to Santiago, Chile, with a stopover at Auckland, New Zealand, experienced an in-flight upset around two hours into the first leg of the flight. Of the 272 people on board, 50 were injured, with 12 taken to the hospital after landing in Auckland.[1][2][3][4][5]
The aircraft had operated the outbound flight, LA801, from Santiago to Sydney via Auckland.[8] After the incident, the onward leg to Santiago was cancelled. The aircraft remained in Auckland until 14 March, when it returned to Santiago.[9]
Accident
LATAM Airlines Flight 800 departed from Sydney Airport at 11:44 AEDT (00:44 UTC), climbing to cruise at flight level 410 (approximately 41,000 ft or 12,500 m).[8][4]
While the flight was over the Tasman Sea, around two hours into the flight and one hour away from Auckland, the aircraft dropped suddenly. In a few seconds, the plane lost over 300 ft (90 m) of altitude. People and objects that were not restrained were thrown upwards, with around 30 to 40 people hitting the ceiling of the cabin, damaging multiple ceiling panels.[10][11] One passenger said it felt "like an earthquake", and another recalled being thrown back four to five seat rows.[12]
The aircraft continued to Auckland as scheduled, landing at 16:26 NZDT (03:26 UTC).[8] Medical staff boarded the plane at Auckland Airport and treated the wounded, tending to 50 people, with reports of cuts and bruises, head and neck injuries, and broken bones. Twelve people were transported to hospital, including one person in a serious condition.[13] Four people were still hospitalised as of 14 March 2024.[9]
A passenger reported a pilot told them after landing that the instruments in the cockpit went blank when the plane fell, then came back online a few seconds later.[15][16][17] It has also been reported that the inadvertent movement of a pilot's seat possibly caused the incident. A flight attendant could somehow have activated a covered rocker switch on the back of the pilot's seat. If the cover was loose, pressing on it would be enough to activate the switch underneath when it otherwise normally would not have. The activation of this switch would have slowly moved the seat forward into the control yoke, resulting in the nose down attitude, disengaging the autopilot, according to US industry officials.[18]
Preliminary report
On 19 April 2024, the DGAC released their preliminary report regarding the accident. That investigation claimed that the captain's seat had involuntarily moved forward and that weather was not a factor.[19]
Reactions
Boeing responded to the incident by stating "We are working to gather more information about the flight and will provide any support needed by our customers". The accident followed increased criticisms of Boeing for multiple in-flight problems on their aircraft.[20]
LATAM Airlines apologized for the incident, stating, "We regret the inconvenience and injury this situation may have caused its passengers, and reiterates its commitment to safety as a priority within the framework of its operational standards".[21]
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) responded to the incident in an undisclosed message, and in return Boeing released a statement regarding the flight, quoting "Based on the FAA audit, our quality stand downs and the recent expert panel report, we continue to implement immediate changes and develop a comprehensive action plan to strengthen safety and quality, and build the confidence of our customers and their passengers".[22]
In response to the report of an issue with a seat switch being the likely cause of the accident, Boeing issued a memo reminding airlines of instructions issued in 2017 to inspect the cockpit chairs of 787 aircraft for loose switches. Boeing warned that closing a seat back switch cover onto a loose rocker switch could "potentially jam the rocker switch, resulting in unintended seat movement".[23][24]
