Throttle problem found

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 say.

National Transportation Safety Committee investigators said they were still struggling to understand why the Boeing jet nosedived into the water minutes after taking off from Jakarta on January 9, killing all 62 people on board.

The investigators yesterday issued a preliminary report providing new details of the pilots’ struggle to fly the plane from almost as soon as it became airborne.

Lead investigator Nurcahyo Utomo said the left engine throttle lever had reduced its power output just before the jet plunged into the sea.

Pilots of previous flights had reported problems with the automatic throttle system on the 26yearold jet, he said. —AP