Search teams recover a section of the tail of crashed AirAsia flight QZ8501 from bottom of the Java Sea earlier this year.
Continue through for more images
Search teams recover a section of the tail of crashed AirAsia flight QZ8501 from bottom of the Java Sea earlier this year. Continue through for more images
Indonesian investigators say a faulty part and subsequent "crew action" caused the AirAsia plane crash that killed 162 people.
The Airbus A320 crashed into the Java Sea on 28 December, less than halfway into a two-hour flight from the Indonesia city of Surabaya to Singapore.
The system that helps control the plane's rudder had a cracked solder joint that malfunctioned four times during the flight and 23 times the previous year, according to investigators.
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The jet crashed less than halfway into its journey to Singapore
It meant it sent the pilots on flight QZ8501 repeated warning messages.
After the fourth warning there are indications they pulled the circuit breaker to reset the system - which also turned off the autopilot and gave them manual control, said investigators.
"Subsequent flight crew action resulted in inability to control the aircraft ... causing the aircraft to depart from the normal flight envelope and enter a prolonged stall condition that was beyond the capability of the flight crew to recover," said Indonesia's national transport safety committee.
Warning alarms were "screaming" as the pilots fought to stabilise the plane.
Large sections of the plane were recovered from the sea
The black box data recorder showed it soared from 32,000ft to 37,400ft in 30 seconds before it lost lift and stalled.
Investigators said co-pilot Remi Plesel was at the controls in the moments before it crashed, rather than the more experienced Captain Iriyanto.
Maintenance records revealed the Rudder Travel Limiter had experienced 23 problems in 12 months.
Investigators demonstrated how the plane stalled and crashed
Crucially, said investigators, there was a failure to "identify repetitive defects and analyse their consequences" and that the time between the faults was getting shorter.
Today's final report said there were no indications bad weather had played a part - contradicting suggestions at the time of the crash.
Large chunks of wreckage were recovered from the sea in January following a massive international search involving dozens of planes and ships.
The plane's black box data recorder was also found
Among the victims were British-born businessman Chi Man Choi and his two-year-old daughter Zoe, who were flying to Singapore for New Year's Eve celebrations.
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The bodies of 56 of the victims were never found.
AirAsia's chief executive is Tony Fernandes, who is also the co-chairman of football club Queens Park Rangers.
The airline has not yet commented on the findings.
Search teams recover a section of the tail of crashed AirAsia flight QZ8501 from bottom of the Java Sea earlier this year. Continue through for more images
Indonesian investigators say a faulty part and subsequent "crew action" caused the AirAsia plane crash that killed 162 people.
The Airbus A320 crashed into the Java Sea on 28 December, less than halfway into a two-hour flight from the Indonesia city of Surabaya to Singapore.
The system that helps control the plane's rudder had a cracked solder joint that malfunctioned four times during the flight and 23 times the previous year, according to investigators.
ADVERTISEMENT
The jet crashed less than halfway into its journey to Singapore
It meant it sent the pilots on flight QZ8501 repeated warning messages.
After the fourth warning there are indications they pulled the circuit breaker to reset the system - which also turned off the autopilot and gave them manual control, said investigators.
"Subsequent flight crew action resulted in inability to control the aircraft ... causing the aircraft to depart from the normal flight envelope and enter a prolonged stall condition that was beyond the capability of the flight crew to recover," said Indonesia's national transport safety committee.
Warning alarms were "screaming" as the pilots fought to stabilise the plane.
Large sections of the plane were recovered from the sea
The black box data recorder showed it soared from 32,000ft to 37,400ft in 30 seconds before it lost lift and stalled.
Investigators said co-pilot Remi Plesel was at the controls in the moments before it crashed, rather than the more experienced Captain Iriyanto.
Maintenance records revealed the Rudder Travel Limiter had experienced 23 problems in 12 months.
Investigators demonstrated how the plane stalled and crashed
Crucially, said investigators, there was a failure to "identify repetitive defects and analyse their consequences" and that the time between the faults was getting shorter.
Today's final report said there were no indications bad weather had played a part - contradicting suggestions at the time of the crash.
Large chunks of wreckage were recovered from the sea in January following a massive international search involving dozens of planes and ships.
The plane's black box data recorder was also found
Among the victims were British-born businessman Chi Man Choi and his two-year-old daughter Zoe, who were flying to Singapore for New Year's Eve celebrations.
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AirAsia's chief executive is Tony Fernandes, who is also the co-chairman of football club Queens Park Rangers.
The airline has not yet commented on the findings.
Sky
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