Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Cathy Wurzer

Plane crash investigations raise new questions about Minnesota-made sensor

Ethiopia Plane Crash
This aerial image taken Friday, March 15, 2019, shows recovery work continuing at the scene where an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed shortly after takeoff the previous Sunday.
Yidnek Kirubel | AP

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

As investigators work to determine the cause of last week's fatal Ethiopian Airlines crash — and the Lion Air crash on a similar plane just months ago — a sensor made by a Minnesota company is coming under scrutiny.

The company, Rosemount Aerospace in Burnsville, manufactures an angle-of-attack sensor that was aboard last October's ill-fated Lion Air flight and has been linked to at least one other deadly crash, according to reporting by the Washington Post. It's not clear whether the Ethiopian Airlines plane that crashed used the same sensor.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with Washington Post reporter Todd Frankel about what the sensors do, and why they're raising new questions for investigators now. Rosemount Aerospace's parent company, United Technologies, did not respond to a request for comment.