Computer Blamed in Thailand Crash

A computer malfunction that switched one engine into reverse caused a Boeing jetliner to crash in Thailand a week ago, the Austrian Transport Minister said today.

The Lauda Air Boeing 767-300ER crashed shortly after takeoff from Bangkok on May 26, killing all 223 people aboard in Thailand's worst aviation disaster and the first crash of a 767.

According to a statement from the Transport Minister, Rudolf Streicher, a cockpit voice recording being analyzed in Washington indicated that the pilots were trying to fix the malfunction when the plane crashed.

"It can be concluded that one of the two engines that were computer controlled during ascent was suddenly switched to reverse," the statement said. "The pilots tried to solve this totally unforeseen problem with the aid of the flight manual, but were unable to do so. The plane became unpilotable, stalled and broke apart." Bomb Was First Theory

The authorities had orginally speculated that the crash of Lauda Air Flight 004 was caused by a bomb.

Mr. Streicher's statement said that an examination of both engines recovered from the plane had begun immediately after the voice recordings were deciphered.

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