U.S. emergency directive after Boeing jet crash in Indonesia

JAKARTA, INDONESIA >> The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has issued an emergency airworthiness directive on how to handle erroneous data from a sensor that investigators believe malfunctioned on a new Boeing MAX jet that plunged into the sea in Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board.

The directive gives regulatory weight to a safety bulletin Boeing sent to operators of Boeing 737 MAX 8 and MAX 9 planes based on findings from the Indonesian investigation into the Oct. 29 crash of a Lion Air jet. FAA directives are usually followed internationally.

The FAA said erroneous data from the “angle of attack” sensor, which helps prevent stalling and diving, could make controlling the plane difficult and lead to “excessive nose-down attitude, significant altitude loss, and possible impact with the terrain.”