Lion Air Crash: Air Speed Indicator Malfunctioned on 4 Previous Flights
The airspeed indicator of the Lion Air aircraft that plunged into the Java Sea last week had malfunctioned on the jet's four previous flights, investigators said Monday.
An analysis of the Boeing 737 MAX 8's flight data recorder showed that the jet was afflicted by similar air speed problems on the plane's final four flights, including on flight JT610, which crashed on Oct. 29 and killed all 189 people on board.
Flight tracking sites show that the plane had recorded erratic air speed and altitudes moments before plummeting into the water. Passengers on the flight before the fatal crash also reported irregularities in the plane's speed as well as sudden altitude changes. Lion Air said those issues were fixed before the fatal flight. Based on this preliminary data, experts had guessed that there was an issue with the 2-month-old jet's pitot tubes, which track an aircraft's speed and altitude, or other software problems that gave the pilots bad information. Now information from the aircraft's so-called black box has confirmed those guesses.
"When we opened the black box, yes indeed the technical problem was the airspeed or the speed of the plane," the chairman of Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee, Soerjanto Tjahjono, said at a news conference on Monday. "Data from the black box showed that two flights before Denpasar-Jakarta also experienced the same problem. In the black box there were four flights that experienced problems with the airspeed indicator."
Investigators said they will now take an in-depth look at the plane's maintenance records and probe what exactly was replaced or repaired before the ill-fated flight.
"Currently we are looking for the cause of problem," investigator Nurcahyo Utomo told the AP. "Whether the trouble came from its indicator, its measuring device or sensor, or a problem with its computer. This is what we do not know yet, and we will find it out."
Investigators also said Monday that the plane was still "in good shape" when it hit the Java Sea and did not explode in the air. Tjahjono, the transportation safety head, said this information was based on the small size of the aircraft debris found and the fact that the engine blades were lost, CNN reports.
Indonesian regulators, along with the US National Transportation Safety Board and representatives from Boeing, are preparing specific inspection guidelines for other Boeing 737 MAX 8s related to the airspeed issues. All other 737 MAX 8s in Indonesia have undergone preliminary inspections following the crash. In the wake of the fatal accident, Boeing reportedly issued an alert to US carriers with the aircraft model in their fleets, saying there was no immediate action necessary regarding MAX 8 inspection.
Search-and-rescue divers are still struggling to locate the aircraft cockpit voice recorder, which will shed light on the pilots' conversations as well as any noises like alarms in the plane's final moments. Divers on Saturday had heard pings from the second device, another so-called black box, but on Sunday they were no longer picking up the locator sounds. Experts say the cockpit voice recorder is a major part of determining whether the Lion Air crash holds consequences for other MAX 8 jets around the globe.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
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Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.