The National Transportation Safety Board released an interim report packed with technical details about the lithium-ion battery fire on the JAL plane parked at Boston's Logan Airport.
Forum to Examine Lithium-ion Batteries
In a fresh sign of the complexity of the international investigation of the batteries, NTSB chief Deborah Hersman said that the agency would hold a forum and a hearing in April.
The forum in mid-April will focus on lithium-ion battery technology and transportation safety.
An investigative hearing later in April will cover the battery system's design and certification by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a certification process that Hersman has criticized.
"The information developed through the upcoming forum and the hearing will help the NTSB and the entire transportation community better understand the risks and benefits associated with lithium batteries, and illuminate how manufacturers and regulators evaluate the safety of new technology," Hersman said in a statement.
Both hearings will be webcast live and open to the public.
The NTSB investigates civil aviation accidents but the FAA is responsible for deciding whether the 787 can return to service.
The FAA is studying a Boeing (IW 500/16) plan to address the battery problem submitted on February 22.
According to aviation research firm Leeham News and Comment, the FAA was expected to give Boeing the green light to begin implementing its proposed fixes Friday or next week.
LaHood Wants Evidence of Adequate Fixes
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told The Wall Street Journal Wednesday that he needs more evidence to be convinced that Boeing's proposed fixes are adequate to ensure the planes are safe to fly.
"I have made it very clear that I want a thorough review" of the Boeing plan, LaHood said.
"I am going to ask a lot of questions" before a final decision is made, said the transportation secretary, who oversees the FAA.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2013
