TOKYO--The head of a Japanese transport ministry investigation
into battery problems on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner said Tuesday that
some cells in a battery taken from the plane were found to be
swollen, the latest finding in the slowly progressing probe.
The swollen cells were discovered in the battery for an
auxiliary power system used on the All Nippon Airways (9202.TO)
operated Dreamliner involved in an emergency landing last month
after smoke was detected coming from another battery on the
jet.
The investigators found the stainless steel cases of two of the
eight cells in the APU battery were swollen, said Masahiro Kudo,
head of the Japan Transport Safety Board investigation team.
"We don't know yet if this is any anomaly" or if the swelling is
within design specifications, Mr. Kudo said.
The emergency landing of the ANA Dreamliner, along with a
battery fire on a 787 at Boston airport, prompted the global
grounding of the high-tech jet.
Write to Yoshio Takahashi at yoshio.takahashi@dowjones.com
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