Authorities investigating last month’s “terrifying” mid-air plunge on an Auckland-bound LATAM flight have released their preliminary report, confirming that the captain’s seat moved forward “involuntarily” during the incident.
Around 260 passengers were travelling on the Boeing 787, from Sydney to Auckland, when the sudden plunge over the Tasman Sea shocked passengers onboard.
The 400-foot drop left approximately 50 people injured, including crew, with 10 people taken to hospital, according to figures from March 11.
Responsibility for investigating the incident lies with authorities in the country where it was registered, Chile, as the altitude drop happened over international waters — around an hour’s flying time away from Auckland.
A preliminary report by Chilean investigators was released last week, which included photos taken from the accident aeroplane.
Investigators said the pilot’s seat on the left side of the cockpit “began an involuntary forward movement” with the captain in his position.
While speculation centred on weather or turbulence shortly following the incident, investigators found it did not contribute to the attitude drop.
Official confirmation that a pilot’s chair had moved forward comes after reports the incident was caused by a mishap involving the seat’s motorised adjustment feature.
Citing anonymous industry sources, the Wall Street Journal reported last month that a flight attendant, serving a meal in the cockpit, hit a switch on the back of a seat that pushed the pilot into controls, therefore pushing the plane’s nose downwards.
The report came after the plane’s manufacturer, Boeing, told airlines to inspect cockpit seat adjustment switches, suggesting it was a “precautionary measure”.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that the Boeing memo was issued “in response to the incident on LATAM Flight 800”, the Associated Press reported in March.
Black boxes still to be examined
Inspections of the accident plane were carried out at Auckland Airport. Accounts have also been taken from the crew involved in the incident.
The plane’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, known as the black boxes, are still being taken to US flight investigators to be read and analysed.
A physical inspection of the seat will also be carried out by the US’ FAA and Boeing, according to Chilean investigators.
The preliminary report released by Chile’s Directorate General of Civil Aeronautics does not include any results from the plane’s black boxes.
Passengers launched at roof, several hospitalised
Speaking to 1News last month, passenger Clara Azevedo said they “didn’t know if we were going to make it or not — it was terrifying”.
“It was a horror movie scene. I saw people fly to the roof, and then going down to the floor.”
Canadian passenger Brian Jokat described the terrifying ordeal onboard to 1News, saying he was “one of the lucky ones that walked off unscathed”.
“It happened so quick. There was no pre-turbulence — there was no bumping at all.”
The sudden movement sent passengers who hadn’t been wearing their seatbelts flying.
“I looked up to see the gentleman that was sitting next to me on the roof of the plane. I’m looking at him fully outstretched with his back on the roof of the plane and then he came crashing down to the floor,” he said.
“It was insane — I thought I was dreaming. It was like right out of The Exorcist.”
He said his shoes were sent hurtling “four rows back” and his jacket had “flown off the seat”.