Narrative:

From what I understand, there is a known safety problem with the B777. Specifically, a passenger seat wiring harness shorted causing an electrical fire. As I understand the problem, the only way to disable the electrical source to the wiring harness is to pull circuit located in the lower east&east compartment. Unfortunately, pilots still do not have an emergency procedure of a circuit breaker layout for the lower east&east compartment in their operating manual. I also understand that a procedure is in the process of being written. My question is: 'why hasn't anything been issued informing the pilots about the known problem and a temporary emergency procedure been released?' the problem has been known for months. However, of the B777 pilots I have talked to, none of them have been informed that a problem exists. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the information being given was related to him by a check pilot actually present when this event occurred. The reporter said the crew experienced a passenger seat electrical adjustment mechanism harness catch fire. The reporter said disabling the fire by removing power to the seat proved difficult as no circuit breaker layout diagram was available and no emergency procedures were in the pilot's handbook. The reporter said the circuit breakers are located in the east&east compartment and not close to the cockpit. The reporter stated there is no information from the company and most B777 crews are unaware of this event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 EXPERIENCED AN INFLT CABIN PAX SEAT ELECTRICAL FIRE CAUSED BY A SHORTED HARNESS TO THE SEAT ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM.

Narrative: FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, THERE IS A KNOWN SAFETY PROB WITH THE B777. SPECIFICALLY, A PAX SEAT WIRING HARNESS SHORTED CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. AS I UNDERSTAND THE PROB, THE ONLY WAY TO DISABLE THE ELECTRICAL SOURCE TO THE WIRING HARNESS IS TO PULL CIRCUIT LOCATED IN THE LOWER E&E COMPARTMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, PLTS STILL DO NOT HAVE AN EMER PROC OF A CIRCUIT BREAKER LAYOUT FOR THE LOWER E&E COMPARTMENT IN THEIR OPERATING MANUAL. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT A PROC IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING WRITTEN. MY QUESTION IS: 'WHY HASN'T ANYTHING BEEN ISSUED INFORMING THE PLTS ABOUT THE KNOWN PROB AND A TEMPORARY EMER PROC BEEN RELEASED?' THE PROB HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR MONTHS. HOWEVER, OF THE B777 PLTS I HAVE TALKED TO, NONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT A PROB EXISTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE INFO BEING GIVEN WAS RELATED TO HIM BY A CHK PLT ACTUALLY PRESENT WHEN THIS EVENT OCCURRED. THE RPTR SAID THE CREW EXPERIENCED A PAX SEAT ELECTRICAL ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM HARNESS CATCH FIRE. THE RPTR SAID DISABLING THE FIRE BY REMOVING PWR TO THE SEAT PROVED DIFFICULT AS NO CIRCUIT BREAKER LAYOUT DIAGRAM WAS AVAILABLE AND NO EMER PROCS WERE IN THE PLT'S HANDBOOK. THE RPTR SAID THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS ARE LOCATED IN THE E&E COMPARTMENT AND NOT CLOSE TO THE COCKPIT. THE RPTR STATED THERE IS NO INFO FROM THE COMPANY AND MOST B777 CREWS ARE UNAWARE OF THIS EVENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.