Free Republic

A screw-like device found in the wreckage of the Boeing 737 Max that crashed last Sunday in Ethiopia indicates the plane was configured to dive. ============================================================== A screw-like device found in the wreckage of the Boeing 737 Max that crashed last Sunday in Ethiopia indicates the plane was configured to dive, a piece of evidence that helped convince U.S. regulators to ground the model, a person familiar with the investigation said late Thursday night. Federal Aviation Administration chief Daniel Elwell on Wednesday cited unspecified evidence found at the crash scene as part of the justification for the agency to reverse...

Three mechanics at Alaska Airlines reported to company officials earlier this year that they found no grease on the jackscrew of an MD-83 jet — the same problem that led to the fatal crash of Alaska Flight 261 nearly six years ago. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), after questions from The Seattle Times, announced yesterday it plans to open a full inquiry into the mechanics' allegations, as well as a second jackscrew incident last week that raised additional questions. "We will interview all of the people involved," said FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown in Washington, D.C. Alaska disputed the three mechanics'...