DOOMED PILOTS STRUGGLED AGAINST FAULTY SENSOR

Pilots fought against an automated system that pitched a Boeing jetliner’s nose down repeatedly because of a faulty sensor until they finally lost control and plunged into the Java Sea last month, Indonesian investigators said Wednesday.

At a news conference, safety officials said they were still struggling to understand why the plane crashed, killing all 189 people on board.

The National Transportation Safety Commission was trying to figure out why engineers certified the Boeing 737 MAX 8 as airworthy and whether they had followed required maintenance procedures.

Pilots of previous flights had reported problems with control systems on the brand-new jet.