Pilots flying Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 repeatedly performed all of the aircraft manufacturer’s procedures, but could not control the Boeing 737 Max 8 before it crashed, killing all 157 people aboard, Ethiopian officials said Thursday.
The findings, part of a preliminary report on the tragedy by the Ethiopian Transport Ministry, do not attribute blame for last month’s crash but are likely to pile pressure on Boeing.
The disaster was the second such crash of a Max 8 jet in less than six months, and raised fears about the model’s automated software, prompting the worldwide grounding of all similar planes currently in service.
The report says the Boeing 737 Max 8 had normal certification and the crew was certified for flying this aircraft and had the necessary training, officials said.
Ethiopian authorities appeared to recommend a Boeing review of the plane’s automated anti-stall software, known as the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS), and that aviation regulators ensure the issue is dealt with before authorizing future flights.
