The NTSB was initially unable to resolve the cause of the crash, but after similar accidents and incidents involving Boeing 737 aircraft, the crash was determined to be caused by a defect in the design of the 737's rudder power control unit (PCU).
A NTSB inicialmente foi incapaz de atopar a causa do accidente, pero despois doutros incidentes semellantes de avións Boeing 737 desterminouse que fora causado por un defecto no deseño do control de potencia do timón.