Lion Air crash linked to design, pilot error

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Inspectors in Jakarta, Indonesia, examine an engine recovered from the crashed Lion Air jet in November 2018. Associated Press/Photo by Achmad Ibrahim (file)

Lion Air crash linked to design, pilot error

Indonesian investigators identified a series of design flaws and maintenance problems that led to the Lion Air crash that killed 189 people last October. The investigators released their final accident report on Friday.

What did the investigators find? The final report highlighted nine problems that caused the Boeing 737 Max to crash, including a crucial sensor that wasn’t tested properly. It also said the pilots never learned how to respond quickly to malfunctions of the plane’s flight control system. The same system played a role in an Ethiopian Airlines crash that killed 159 people in March. Boeing said on Friday it redesigned the system and was working to address all of the safety recommendations.

Dig deeper: Read Onize Ohikere’s 2018 report in The Sift on earlier investigations into the crash.

Onize Ohikere

Onize is WORLD’s Africa reporter and deputy global desk chief. She is a World Journalism Institute graduate and earned a journalism degree from Minnesota State University–Moorhead. Onize resides in Abuja, Nigeria.

@onize_ohiks