TOKYO — The fatal crash of a cargo jet landing at Narita Airport in March last year may have been caused by pilot error as the plane’s nose dipped too much during strong winds, according to a report released Friday by a board investigating the accident.
The accident killed the two U.S. pilots aboard the FedEx Corp. Boeing MD-11 jet.
The Japanese Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry’s Transport Safety Board said the plane’s control stick was tilted too far forward, causing the plane to lower its nose excessively before landing.
Earlier, it was speculated that wind shear might have been responsible for the first fatal accident at Narita Airport, which opened in 1979.
However, the board said there was no dangerous wind shear at the time of the plane’s landing.
According to the board’s report, it was strange that the control stick was pushed too far forward before landing.
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