The father of a Lion Air crash victim has filed a lawsuit against plane maker Boeing in the US, claiming the new flight-control system in the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was responsible.
Hi son Dr. Rio Nanda Pratama was one of 189 who died when Lion Air Flight 610 plunged into the Java Sea shortly after take-off from Jakarta.
The lawsuit was filed in state court in Chicago which is Boeing’s home base, and is thought to be the first lawsuit filed in the US tied to the accident.
Although the crash investigation is still ongoing, the faulty sensor is being looked at as a possible cause.
The equipment was not displaying correct altitude and speed readings on the three previous flights, investigators said.
Due to the erroneous readings, onboard systems could potentially force the plane into a nose dive.
Boeing and aviation regulators are mulling a design and software system fix for the 737 MAX while US flight crew unions have raised concerns that pilots were not given information or training on the new safety system.
Boeing spokesman Chaz Bickers said the company remains ‘confident in the safety of the 737 MAX.’
It is ‘taking every measure to fully understand all aspects of this incident, working closely with the investigating team and all regulatory authorities involved.’
