Second Boston Dreamliner glitch in two days
(CNN) -- Different day, different issue, same airport -- Boeing's Dreamliner is in the spotlight again. A Japan Airlines 787 experienced a mechanical problem in Boston for the second-straight day on Tuesday, January 8th -- raising yet more questions about the heavily touted aircraft model that continues to report glitches after its difficult development.
Monday's incident involved an apparent electrical fire aboard an empty JAL 787 that had just arrived from Tokyo.
Tuesday's setback involved a large fuel leak aboard a different JAL Dreamliner loaded with 181 passengers that was taxiing for takeoff on a return flight to the Japanese capital.
The cockpit crew reported the leak according to Carol Anderson, a spokeswoman for the carrier.
Airport cleanup crews responded to the spill and the plane was towed back to the terminal. The flight was canceled.
Monday's electrical fire that injured a firefighter was discovered by maintenance personnel. It struck after 172 passengers and 11 crew had disembarked following the Tokyo-Boston flight, sending smoke through the cabin.
Boeing said in a statement the fire was traced to a battery unit in an electronics compartment in the belly of the plane. The battery is used to start an auxiliary power system that runs electrical components when the plane's engines are idle.
The power unit battery sustained severe fire damage, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said, adding that it sent two more investigators to Boston to look into the fire.
United Airlines said it inspected six 787s following the fire as a precaution but would not comment further.
Boeing said the fire appeared unrelated to previous problems involving 787 electrical power systems and that it was cooperating with the safety board probe.
The manufacturer had no immediate comment on Tuesday's fuel spill.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also investigated both cases.
In other incidents, one of the 787 test flight aircraft lost primary electrical power in 2010 and was forced to make an emergency landing in Texas. All aboard evacuated safely.
An engine failed during tests on the ground in South Carolina last July and inspectors found a similar problem on another aircraft in September.
In December, another new 787 operated by United diverted safely to New Orleans after experiencing mechanical problems.
Some safety experts are concerned but not alarmed about the mechanical setbacks that have popped up on the Dreamliner since its delivery to airlines beginning in 2011 following years of manufacturing delays and cost overruns.
They say new aircraft models often have "growing pains." Other experts have said any Dreamliner service problems would be magnified because of its problematic history during development.
As the first commercial jetliner built mostly from lightweight carbon fibers, the twin-engine Dreamliner wide-body has been touted for fuel efficiency in an era of soaring fuel prices. It has attracted enormous interest from airlines with most orders coming from overseas carriers initially.
Boeing shares on Wall Street sank 3.6% on Tuesday related to problems with the 787.