JAKARTA (TheInsiderStories) - National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) at transportation ministry said the malfunctioning automatic throttle have led the Sriwijaya Air crashed in Jan. 9. The Boeing 737-500 aircraft with flight number SJY182 on a scheduled from Soekarno - Hatta Intemational Airport in Banten to Supadio Intemational Airport in Pontianak, East Kalimantan.
According to the chairman, Soerjanto Tjahjono, in a virtual presser today, there were two pilots, four flight attendants, and 56 passengers onboard the aircraft. At 07.36 a.m. local time, the aircraft departed from Runway 25R of Jakarta.
The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) recorded the autopilot was engaged about 1,980 feet and climbed past to 8,150 feet, the thrust lever of the left engine started reducing, while the thrust lever position of the right engine remained. At 2.38 p.m. local time, the pilot requested to the air traffic controller (ATC) for a heading change to 0750 to avoid weather conditions and was approved.
Then, the ATC instructed pilot to stop climb at 11,000 feet to avoid conflict with another aircraft that was departing from Runway 25L to the same destination. At 2.39 p.m. local time, the FDR data recorded the aircraft’ altitude was about 10,600 feet with a heading of 046C and started tuming to the left.
The thrust lever of the left engine continued decreasing while the thrust lever of the right engine remained. The ATC instructed the pilot to climb to an altitude of 13,000 feet, and the instruction was read back around the same time. This was the last known recorded radio transmission by the Sriwijaya flight.
At 2.40 p.m. local time, the FDR data recorded the aircraft altitude was about 10,900 feet, which was the highest altitude recorded in the FDR before the aircraft started its descent. The autopilot system then disengaged at that point with a heading of 0160, the attitude was pitching up, and the aircraft rolled to the left.
The thrust lever position of the left engine continued decreasing while the right engine thrust lever remained. The FDR data also recorded the auto throttle system disengaged and the pitch attitude was pitching down. About 20 seconds later the FDR stopped recording.
“Before the flight, on Jan. 3, the pilot reported that auto throttle was unserviceable,” said Tjahjojo.
He added, KNKT has sent five components of a crashed Sriwijaya Air jet to the United States and United Kingdom for examination. Boeing 737-500 crashed into the Java Sea shortly after takeoff from Jakarta and killing all 62 people.
Written by Editorial Staff, Email: theinsiderstories@gmail.com
