Indonesia has ordered inspections of all Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft in the wake of Monday’s fatal Lion Air crash as investigators continue the search for the crucial black box from flight JT610.
An Indonesian Transportation Ministry Official, Captain Avirianto, said Lion Air had 11 of the new-era models while Garuda had one.
“We have inspected Garuda last night while Lion is still in progress,” he told CNN.
There are is no way of knowing at this stage why the plane crashed but speculation has centered on problems suffered during a preceding flight. It is the first crash involving this latest model of Boeing’s workhorse 737.
The aircraft was brand new and had only been flying with Lion Air since August. The airline said earlier this week that it had been declared “operationally feasible”.
The Indonesian inspections came as passengers on a previous flight, JT043, on Sunday told of how a “roller coaster” ride prompted some to panic and vomit.
“About three to eight minutes after it took off, I felt like the plane was losing power and unable to rise. That happened several times,” passenger Alan Soetanto told TVOne. “We felt like in a roller coaster. Some passengers began to panic and vomit.”
TV Presenter Conchita Caroline said boarding of the Sunday flight was delayed for about an hour and the plane was forced to return to its parking space.
She said passengers sat in the cabin without air conditioning for at least 30 minutes listening to an “unusual” engine roar.
A staff member had shown her a flight permit and said the problem had been fixed.
Air crash investigators tend to be skeptical of passenger accounts unless they come from experts but Soetano’s description comes as aircraft tracking websites revealed ADS-B data showed erratic speed and altitude values for both the Sunday flight and JT610.
The airline has confirmed there were reports of technical issues on Sunday but said they were resolved in accordance with Boeing’s procedures.
A log entry from the Sunday flight sighted by AirlineRatings.com shows “airspeed unreliable and alt disagree shown after take off. It adds that the Captain’s instrument was unreliable and handover control to FO.”
READ new theory on Lion Air disaster.
Australian aircraft engineers have suggested the Boeing 737 MAX suffered rear elevator problems on that flight.
According to the engineers, the aircraft’s tech log shows a record of a problem with “elevator feel and control” on the last flight the day before the tragedy that claimed 189.
Any serious issue with the rear elevator would account for the sudden high-speed crash of JT 610 into the sea with speeds reaching 560km/hr. The debris indicates the plane disintegrated on impact.
Another potential issue could be the pitot tubes that provide critical information such as airspeed and have been linked to crashes such as Air France Flight 447 in 2009 and an Air New Zealand Airbus A320 test flight in 2008.
Questions have also been raised about Lion Air’s patchy safety history and whether its pilots were adequately trained to handle unusual events.
READ Australian government bans employees from flying on Lion Air.
A number of Lion Air planes have been written off in crashes since 2003, including another fatal accident in 2004 and a 2013 incident that saw a Boeing 737 crash in the sea short of the runway at Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport and break in two.
The aircraft was commanded by Captain. Bhavye Suneja, who had 6000 flight hours under his belt, and co-pilot Harvino, who had 5000 hours.
READ Lion Air’s safety record a mixed bag.
All this, however, remains speculation and the facts will not be known until the aircraft’s flight data and cockpit voice recorders are found.
Modern flight data recorders record the aircraft’s performance in great detail and should give investigators a good handle on any technical problems.
Indonesia is leading the investigation the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will be party to it and technical advisers from Boeing and engine maker CFM International will also be involved.
Boeing said in a short statement that it was providing technical assistance under the direction of investigating authorities.
“The Boeing Company is deeply saddened by the loss of Lion Air Flight JT 610,” it said. “We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the families and loved ones of those on board”
