Throttle problem suspected in Indonesia crash

JAKARTA: A malfunctioning automatic throttle may have caused the pilots of a Sriwijaya Air jet to lose control, leading to the plane’s plunge into the Java Sea last month, Indonesian investigators said Wednesday. National Transportation Safety Committee investigators said they are still struggling to understand why the jet nosedived into the water minutes after taking off from Jakarta on Jan. 9, killing all 62 people on board.The investigator said the left engine throttle lever had reduced its power output just before the jet plunged into the sea. He said pilots of previous flights had reported problems with the automatic throttle system on the 26-year-old jet.