Boeing advises airlines check 787 cockpit seat switches, WSJ reports

Boeing (BA) issued a memo late Thursday to operators of 787 jets recommending that they inspect the cockpit chairs for loose covers on the switches and instructing them how to turn off power to the pilot seat motor if needed, The Wall Street Journal’s Andrew Tangel and Sharon Terlep report. A Latam Airlines (LTMAY) flight attendant hit a switch on the pilot’s seat while serving a meal this week, leading a motorized feature to push the pilot into the controls and push down the plane’s nose, according to U.S. industry officials briefed on preliminary evidence from an investigation. “Closing the spring-loaded seat back switch guard onto a loose/detached rocker switch cap can potentially jam the rocker switch, resulting in unintended seat movement,” according to the memo, which was viewed by the publication, adding that this is a known issue.