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TOKYO — All Nippon Airways said it is grounding all 17 of its Boeing 787 jets after one Dreamliner was forced to make an emergency landing in western Japan on Wednesday.
The plane, bound for Tokyo from Yamaguchi in western Japan, made an emergency landing in Takamatsu after the pilot reported smoke in the cockpit about 15 minutes after takeoff, an Osaka Airport spokesman said.
Measuring instruments in the 787 jet indicated a battery error and the pilot smelled something strange before all 129 passengers on board and eight crew members were evacuated via emergency slide, ANA and airport officials said. No one was injured.
The emergency landing is the latest safety incident involving Boeing 787s.
Federal Aviation Administration officials said Friday they would conduct a comprehensive review of Boeing’s 787 airplane program following several high-profile mishaps, including a fire. But the FAA sought Friday to reassure fliers that they still believe the airplane is safe to fly.
The FAA plans to review all aspects of the new aircraft, including design and production. But the review will focus heavily on the electric components of the aircraft.
The new 787 Dreamliner, which went into service in the fall of 2011, relies much more heavily on electric components than previous airplane models.
Boeing officials said Friday that they welcome a review of the new model aircraft and that the FAA’s scrutiny did not diminish the company’s confidence in the airplane.
NBC News reporter Allison Linn contributed to this report.
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters.
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