B-787 mishap in Ethiopia - Human error suspected - AIN

Technician Error Suspected in Ethiopian 787 Gear Collapse

The investigation into a March 3 nose gear collapse on an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-8 is pointing toward human error by technicians as the likely cause. The Dreamliner (tail number ET-AHS), which was operating as Flight ET-702 from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa to Rome, had completed boarding and was just about to push back when the gear collapsed. One flight attendant received minor injuries and the aircraft incurred substantial damage. A senior official with the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority told AIN that the accident was caused by human error. The official said experts with the ECAA Accident Prevention and Investigation Bureau collected data and conducted interviews with the 787 crew and technicians who were working on the airplane. “The cause of the accident is already known but it will take two weeks to summarize the report,” the official said, declining to give further details