The CAB found that the captain had incorrectly identified the cause of the aircraft's control and stability problems, but that it would have been extremely difficult if not impossible for him to have correctly identified the problem given the information he had, the nature of the emergency he was faced with, and the time in which he had to make the decision as to whether to ditch or to attempt a landing at McChord AFB or back at Sea-Tac.
A CAB atopou que o capitán identificara incorrectamente a causa dos problemas de estabilidade e control do avión, pero que sería moi difícil, senón imposible, para el identificar correctamente o problema coa información que tiña, a natureza da emerxencia coa que se enfrontou, e o tempo que tivo para tomar a decisión de amarar ou intentar aterrar na base de McChord ou volver a Sea-Tac.