Face Of Nation : Four weeks after faulty sensor data led a 737 MAX jet to crash in Indonesia last year, a high-ranking Boeing Co. executive raised and dismissed the possibility of a bird collision triggering a similar sequence of events that could cause a second accident. U.S. aviation authorities increasingly believe that a version of that scenario, described by Boeing executive Mike Sinnett at a November meeting with American Airlines pilots, may have caused the Ethiopian Airlines crash nearly four months later, according to officials familiar with the details. The crash happened after a sensor sent faulty data, possibly due to a bird strike, leading to automated commands that repeatedly pushed the nose of the plane down.
At the meeting, Mr. Sinnett, vice president of product strategy, expressed confidence that well-trained pilots following established procedures could safely respond to a potential repeat of such equipment trouble, according to a recording of the meeting, which was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. He also said he felt “absolutely” confident that heightened pilot awareness of potential dangers further reduced the chances of another accident.
