AirAsia Crash: Faulty Part ‘Big Factor’

Indonesian investigators said on Tuesday a fault with the rudder system played a big role in causing AirAsia Flight QZ8501 to crash into the Java Sea and kill all 162 people on board last year. In its final report after a year-long investigation, Indonesia’s national transport safety committee found the crew’s response to the fault caused the jet to lose control. The flight control computer had a cracked solder joint that had malfunctioned four times during the flight and 23 times the previous year, according to the report. The pilots then disengaged the autopilot in poor weather conditions in an effort to fix the situation, and lost control of the jet.