Shuttle Crew May Have Tried to Stop Autopilot
An attempt may have been made to override Columbia’s autopilot in the final few seconds of its doomed flight, according to information received by the shuttle’s accident investigation board. But, as an official close to the inquiry stressed: “The data are really suspect.”
A NASA spokeswoman said the possible attempted override could have been unintentional; in other words, one of the pilots may have bumped the stick. ABC News reported that data showed one of the crew may have tried to take over the shuttle before its destruction Feb. 1.
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