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NTSB Cites ‘Thermal Runaway’ in Boeing 787 Battery Fire

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Key Takeaways:

  • The NTSB found evidence of thermal runaway and a short circuit in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner battery that caught fire in Boston, though it's unclear which occurred first.
  • Investigators are focusing on potential design flaws in the lithium-ion battery, which had multiple built-in protections, especially after a second 787 battery failure occurred a week later in Japan.
  • As a result of these incidents, the FAA has grounded all 50 Boeing 787 Dreamliners worldwide pending the outcome of investigations.
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The NTSB on Thursday said the Boeing 787 Dreamliner battery that caught fire earlier this month in Boston shows evidence of thermal runaway, a serious condition in which an increase in temperature causes progressively hotter temperatures.

Still unclear is the question of which occurred first, the thermal runaway or a short circuit in the battery that was also found, said NTSB Chairman Deborah Hersman at a news briefing on the board’s investigation into the incident.

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