The battery that caught fire in the Japan Airlines 787 in Boston was not overcharged, but government investigators said Sunday that there could still be problems with wiring or other charging components.
An examination of the flight data recorder indicated that the battery didn't exceed its designed voltage of 32 volts, the National Transportation Safety Board said in a statement.But NTSB investigators are continuing to look at the battery system. They plan to meet Tuesday with officials from Securaplane Technologies, manufacturer of the charger for the lithium ion batteries used on 787s, at the company's headquarters in Tucson, Ariz., said Kelly Nantel, a spokeswoman for the board."Potentially there could be some other charging issue," Nantel said. "We're not prepared to say there was no charging issue."Even though it appears the voltage limit wasn't exceeded in the Japan Airlines 787 that caught fire in Boston, it's possible that the battery failures may be due to a charging problem, according to John Goglia, a former NTSB board member and aviation safety expert.Too much current flowing too fast into a battery can overwhelm the battery, causing it to short-circuit and overheat even if the battery's voltage remains within its design limit, he said.The unfolding saga of Boeing's highest-profile plane has raised new questions about federal oversight of aircraft makers and airlines.After the two separate and serious battery problems, it wasn't U.S. authorities who acted first to ground the plane, but Japanese airlines.Some aviation experts question the ability of the Federal Aviation Administration to keep up with changes in the way planes are being made -- both the technological advances and the use of multiple suppliers from around the globe. Others question whether regulators are too cozy with aircraft manufacturers.Even as they announced a broad review of the 787 earlier this month, top U.S. transportation regulators stood side-by-side with a Boeing executive and declared the plane safe -- saying that they would gladly fly in one. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood repeated his endorsement Wednesday.A few hours later, the FAA issued an emergency order grounding the planes.Despite their concerns, many safety experts still believe that the current regulatory process works. The 787s were grounded before any accidents occurred.The Dreamliner is the first airliner whose structure is made mostly from composite materials rather than aluminum. The plane relies more than previous airliners on electrical systems rather than hydraulic or mechanical ones, and it's the first airliner to make extensive use of lithium-ion batteries to power cabin-pressurization and other key functions.Such technological advances may force the FAA to re-examine the way it does its job."We've gone from aviation to aerospace products that are much more complex," said Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst with the Teal Group. "The FAA is equipped for aviation. Aerospace is another matter."Former NTSB board member Kitty Higgins said the FAA must consider whether changes in its certification process would have turned up the problems in the Dreamliner battery systems."They need to make sure the certification process stays current with the industry and the new technology," she said.An FAA spokeswoman declined to comment, referring instead to statements made during a news conference last week. Officials said then that the review of the 787 wouldn't be limited to the Dreamliner's batteries. FAA Administrator Michael Huerta said that the agency would "make sure that the approved quality control procedures are in place and that all of the necessary oversight is done."Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
