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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 battery that caught fire in Boston, questioning the effectiveness of its multiple built-in protections.
  • A second 787 battery failure a week later in Japan led to an emergency landing, though without fire.
  • Due to these incidents, the FAA grounded all 50 operational Boeing 787 Dreamliners worldwide pending further investigation into battery design flaws.
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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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