Dutch investigators say they were unable to conclusively identify the cause of a 2018 serious incident in which 23 passengers and cabin crewmembers became ill, causing the pilots of their United Airlines Boeing 767-300ER to return to Amsterdam about an hour after departure on a flight to Newark, New Jersey.
The Dutch Safety Board said in its Quarterly Aviation Report for April−June 2020, published this week, that the board ruled out a number of factors as causes of the serious incident, “including intoxication from food or beverages, infectious diseases, and leakage from oxygen bottles, pantry ovens or fire extinguishers in the cabin.” No conclusive evidence was found concerning a probable cause, however.
Nevertheless, the manufacturer concluded that the problem likely was a result of “degraded and uneven airflow and/or temperature control issues in the cabin,” the report said, adding that Boeing issued a service letter to operators to recommend a maintenance progr…
