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AirAsia QZ8501 Crash: Final Report Points to Faulty Component, Crew Action

AirAsia Airbus A320-200 (PK-AXC), the aircraft involved in the crash, in April 2014. Oka Sudiatmika (Wikimedia Commons)
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Key Takeaways:

  • The AirAsia A320 crash, killing all 162 on board, was primarily caused by a recurring rudder control system malfunction and the flight crew's response to it, rather than bad weather.
  • A cracked solder joint on an electric card caused repeated rudder system faults, which a crew member attempted to resolve by pulling a circuit breaker against recommendations, disengaging the autopilot and altering flight control.
  • Miscommunication and incorrect inputs in the cockpit, with the pilot commanding "pull down" during a rapid ascent and bank, led to a prolonged stall and the aircraft plummeting into the Java Sea.
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Indonesia’s National Transportation Safety Committee released a final report, detailing the events that led to the AirAsia Airbus A320 crash last December that killed all 162 people on board.

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