Fri, Nov 12, 2010
Company Reports Significant Damage To Electrical Panel
Boeing is continuing its investigation of Monday's incident on
flight test Dreamliner ZA002. The company said Thursday they have
determined that a failure in the P100 panel led to a fire involving
an insulation blanket. The insulation self-extinguished once the
fault in the P100 panel cleared. The P100 panel on ZA002 has been
removed and a replacement unit is being shipped to Laredo. The
insulation material near the unit also has been removed.
ZA002 File Photo
Damage to the ZA002 P100 panel is reported to be significant.
Boeing says that initial inspections, however, do not show
extensive damage to the surrounding structure or other systems, but
the inspection of that area of the airplane is not yet
complete.
The P100 panel is one of several power panels in the aft
electronics bay. It receives power from the left engine and
distributes it to an array of systems. In the event of a failure of
the P100 panel, backup power sources – including power from
the right engine, the Ram Air Turbine, the auxiliary power unit or
the battery – are designed to automatically engage to ensure
that those systems needed for continued safe operation of the
airplane are powered. The backup systems engaged during the
incident and the crew retained positive control of the airplane at
all times and had the information it needed to perform a safe
landing.
Dreamliner File Photo
Molten metal has been observed near the P100 panel, which is not
unexpected in the presence of high heat. Boeing says that the
presence of this material does not reveal anything meaningful to
the investigation. Inspection of the surrounding area will take
several days and is ongoing. The company says it is too early to
determine if there is significant damage to any structure or
adjacent systems.
As part of the investigation, Boeing says it will conduct a
detailed inspection of the panel and insulation material to
determine if they enhance our understanding of the incident. "We
continue to evaluate data to understand this incident," the company
said in a statement. "At the same time, we are working through a
repair plan. In addition, we are determining the appropriate steps
required to return the rest of the flight test fleet to flying
status."
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