Today, aviation experts say that the angle-of-attack sensor on Boeing jets will get fresh scrutiny after two Boeing 737 Max airplanes crashed, in Ethiopia last week and in Indonesia in October. But six experts said that the risks posed by a faulty angle-of-attack sensor are amplified by the increasing role of cockpit automation. Maintenance crews replaced three parts, including the angle-of-attack sensor, according to the FAA database. And an American Airlines 767 was forced to return to Miami in 2014 after a midflight emergency because of a faulty angle-of-attack sensor. Investigators later found that two of the angle-of-attack sensors were blocked, probably by frozen water, and generated improper readings.

Source: Washington Post March 17, 2019 23:37 UTC