WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal officials say they are temporarily grounding Boeing's 787 Dreamliners until the risk of possible battery fires is addressed.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday it will issue an emergency safety order requiring U.S. airlines to temporarily cease operating the 787, Boeing's newest and most technologically advanced plane.
The agency said it will work with Boeing and U.S. air carriers to develop a plan allowing 787s to "resume operations as quickly and safely as possible." United Airlines is the only U.S. carrier with 787s. It has six.
Only days ago, FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood declared the plane safe.
But after an emergency landing in Japan early Wednesday, two Japanese airlines voluntarily grounded their 787s.
The FAA order applies only to U.S. carriers, but aviation authorities in other countries usually follow the lead of the country where the manufacturer is based. Fifty Dreamliners have been delivered in the U.S. and around the world.
The FAA announcement comes less than 24 hours after Japan's transport ministry announced plans to ground Boeing 787 planes for safety checks.
One of the 787s operated by All Nippon Airways made an emergency landing in western Japan after a cockpit message showed battery problems — the latest in a series of problems including a battery fire and fuel leaks. No one was seriously injured.
A fire ignited in the battery pack of an empty Dreamliner at Logan last Tuesday. On Friday, All Nippon Airways reported glitches on two of their Dreamliners.
Boeing's Dreamliner had been highly touted for its high-tech advancements when it was first unveiled at Logan last year.
Cox Media Group
