Leaky Faucets in Boeing 787 Dreamliner Bathrooms Could Short-Circuit the Plane: FAA

A Boening 787 Dreamliner at a hangar in Everett Washington, 09 July 2007. The new long-distance plane was presented in public for the first time on the day before.Photo: Frank Brandmaier (AP)

The Federal Aviation Administration is concerned that leaky bathroom faucets on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner could allow water to seep into flight-critical electronics on the aircraft, and is proposing repeat inspections of all 787s in the U.S. The regulator’s actions follow reports of water from the lavatory flowing under the cabin floor and into equipment bays on multiple 787s operated by one airline. However, Boeing and the FAA disagree on how widespread the issue is across currently active 787s.

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The Associated Press reports Boeing advised airlines about the leaky faucet issue in November. The FAA stated that an unidentified airline found wet carpet in the cockpit of a plane, and after inspecting its entire fleet of Boeing 787 jets, found the issue on multiple aircraft. Boeing says the problem is the result of a faulty O-ring in a bathroom faucet causing a slow leak of about eight ounces of water an hour. Boeing claims the issue is limited to a particular batch of 787s, but the FAA wants precautionary measures to apply to every Dreamliner currently in service.

The FAA wants repeated inspections on Boeing 787s, saying the leak could lead to a “loss of continued safe flight and landing” if water enters the plane’s electronics. There will be a 45-day comment period before the proposal can become an official FAA order, which would apply to 140 Dreamliners currently in U.S. carrier fleets. It would be a temporary measure until Boeing designs a permanent fix for the faucet modules.

According to Reuters, the FAA previously halted Dreamliner deliveries for a month beginning in February after a data analysis error. Lufthansa was the first airline to take delivery of a Boeing 787 after the most recent stoppage. Despite problems, Boeing claims it is seeing unprecedented demand for the Dreamliner.