Event Description
On March 11, 2024, at 11:23 AM local time (Sydney), a Boeing 787-9 departed Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (YSSY) on a scheduled international passenger flight to Auckland International Airport (NZAA). The aircraft was cruising at flight level FL410 in international airspace with the autopilot engaged in ATT (attitude) mode. During cruise, the captain's seat moved forward involuntarily, compressing the captain's legs against the control column and pushing it forward. This action disengaged the autopilot's ATT mode, causing an unintentional abrupt descent. The flight crew promptly corrected the descent, regained straight and level flight, re-engaged the autopilot, and continued the flight normally. The aircraft landed at Auckland at 4:26 PM local time (New Zealand), with a total flight time of 3 hours and 3 minutes.
Injuries and Damage
Three people were hospitalized due to various injuries sustained during the event. The aircraft suffered damage to the interior of the main passenger cabin and the flight deck.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the event was initiated by an uncontrolled forward movement of the captain's seat. No further causal factors were identified in the provided report. The aircraft was a Boeing 787-916 (variant of the 787-9) engaged in commercial air transport, carrying a crew of one captain, one first officer, seven flight attendants, and 263 passengers.