Researchers think they know why Boeings 737 MAX crashed

Researchers studying the fatal crash of the Boeing 737 MAX from Ethiopian Airlines have reached a preliminary conclusion about the cause of the drama.

As previously suggested, an automatic new system would have been activated that pushed the nose of the aircraft down, causing it to crash. The Wall Street Journal writes this based on sources close to the research.

The conclusions were drawn based on the investigation of the black boxes of the device. They were recovered after the crash, which cost the lives of all 157 passengers.

Crash

If it is true that the so-called ‘stall prevention feature’ has been activated, that would mean that the crash could have the same cause as that of the aircraft of the Indonesian Lion Air at the end of last year. 189 people died in that crash.

The new system with which the aircraft is equipped – the ‘Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) – must adjust the aerodynamics of the aircraft, which changed as the new and more efficient engines are heavier. The sensor intervenes if the device rises too sharply and then pushes the nose down. That would have happened too strongly for both flights.

In a few days, the preliminary report of the crash investigation would be announced according to the Wall Street Journal.