Japanese regulators have joined their US counterparts in all but ruling out overcharged batteries as the cause of recent fires on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which has been grounded for a week with no end in sight.
Solving the battery issue is the primary focus of the investigation, though the head of the Federal Aviation Administration said yesterday there are still no firm answers as to the cause.
Regulators grounded the Dreamliner on Jan. 16 after a series of safety incidents, including battery fires on planes in the United States and Japan. The Japanese incident forced a plane to make an emergency landing.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said yesterday the goal was to return the 787 to service as soon as possible but that the government wouldn’t rush it back.
Boeing shares closed at $74.29, up 0.2 percent.