Air Asia crash: Faulty rudder system major factor, says probe report

Jakarta, Indonesia: A fault with the rudder control system was a major factor in the crash in December into the Java Sea of an AirAsia plane, with the loss of 162 lives, Indonesian investigators said Tuesday.

Repeated problems with the system led to the pilots disengaging the autopilot in stormy weather in a bid to fix the situation, and then losing control of the Airbus A320-200, Indonesia’s official National Transportation Safety Committee said.