A malfunctioning automatic throttle may have caused the pilots of the Sriwijaya Air jet to lose control, leading to the plane's plunge into the Java Sea last month, Indonesian investigators said Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021.
(AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, File)JAKARTA – A malfunctioning automatic throttle may have caused the pilots of a Sriwijaya Air jet to lose control, resulting in the Boeing 737-500's crash into the Java Sea last month, Indonesian investigators said Wednesday.
Investigators are working with Boeing and engine maker General Electric to review the information from the flight data recorder.
The report offered new details on persistent problems with an autothrottle on the 737-500 on the Sriwijaya Air jet and the airline’s efforts to fix them.
An automated flight-control system played a role in that crash, but the Sriwijaya Air jet did not have that system on board.