Boeing and its relevant subcontractors are not commenting on a report from France that a tool left in an electrical cabinet led to a fire onboard a 787 test aircraft two weeks ago. The fire, which forced an emergency landing and halted the test program, occurred on a test flight in Texas. On Monday, La Tribune reported that an unspecified tool had been left in the cabinet by mistake and caused a short circuit, which sparked the fire. If confirmed, the scenario is potentially less damaging to the program than if the fire was the result of a design fault, but La Tribune said the incident still raises issues about the aircraft.
Quoting unnamed sources, the newspaper says the problem in one electrical cabinet spread to a second bay and that meant the crew had to use emergency backups to land. Shortly after the fire, Boeing suspended the test program indefinitely.
