Lion – long tormented by safety problems – said the Boeing 737-Max 8 had experienced an in-flight technical problem just before the fatal Oct. 29 crash, which has since been fixed.
But on Monday, the National Transportation Safety Commission (NTSC) said black box data showed the plane had an issue with the airspeed indicator on at the least two previous flights.
“A complete of 4 flights experienced an issue with the airspeed indicator,” NTSC chief Soerjanto Tjahjono told reporters.
“When there was a problem, the pilot would write it down and the mechanic would do (the repair)…The plane was then deemed airworthy.”
The agency said it might investigate what caused the turn signal problem and whether appropriate repairs were made, including replacing the faulty component, he added.
He didn’t provide more details or speculate on what role an issue with the gauges could have played within the crash as he continues to extract the flight recorder – seen as a key to why the virtually latest plane fell out of the sky.
Lion’s earlier admission that the jet had a technical problem and the captain’s request to return to the airport minutes before the crash raised questions on whether there have been faults specific to one in every of the world’s newest and most advanced industrial airliners.
Divers are still on the lookout for the plane’s cockpit voice recorder.
Flight JT610 accelerated when it suddenly lost altitude after which disappeared from radar 12 minutes after takeoff, with witnesses saying the single-aisle jet plunged into the water.
Lion has been an everyday goal of complaints about poor service, unreliable schedules and safety problems, including a fatal accident in 2004.
How Indonesia is keeping maritime tensions from defining its relationship with China
How Indonesia is keeping maritime tensions from defining its relationship with China
“We will conduct … a special audit of crew qualifications and staff communications,” Transport Minister Budi Karya Sumadi told reporters on Monday, announcing an investigation into Lion’s activities.
“It’s a safety measure… (the accident) is a really costly lesson for us.”
He added that civil aviation authorities within the United States and Europe were also consulted to help with the investigation.
Meanwhile, authorities have expanded the search, collecting more body parts and shattered debris from the location where the plane crashed during a routine one-hour flight from Jakarta to Pangkal Pinang.
Multiple body bags stuffed with stays were collected and sent for DNA testing, but only 14 people have been identified to date.
Search and rescue agency chief Muhammad Syaugi tearfully apologized Monday as relatives’ cries for help grew louder and included accusations that the pace of recovery was lagging.
“We are not perfect people,” he said, sobbing. “We have flaws, but we do the best we can.”
The Lion Air investigation was launched after the Indonesian government ordered an inspection of all Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft within the country.
All were deemed airworthy, although two required repairs as a consequence of “minor” problems.
The ministry had earlier removed several Lion Air executives and technicians, saying they were needed to assist authorities with the investigation.
The accident has revived concerns about Indonesia’s poor aviation safety record, which until recently faced long-term bans on its carriers from entering European Union and United States airspace.
