ISTANBUL - A TURKISH Airlines jet which crashed near Amsterdam, killing nine people, underwent repairs for two malfunctions in the week before the accident, the CNN-Turk news channel reported on Thursday.

The Boeing 737-800 jet was hauled in for repairs after a flight on February 18 when pilots reported a malfunction in the wing flaps, which increase lift on take-off and create drag on landing, the channel said on its web site.

On February 23, pilots aborted a take-off when the light of the master caution system - which monitors all critical systems - went on just as the aircraft reached the start of the runway. The problem was repaired later in the day.

The same plane crashed into a muddy field short of the runway Wednesday as it was trying to land at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport after taking off from Istanbul with 127 passengers and seven crew.

Three crew members of Turkish nationality, were among the dead. Sixty-three people remained hospitalized on Thursday.

Hours after Wednesday's crash, officials from the carrier announced that the aircraft had undergone routine general maintenance on December 22.

The Dutch Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash with about 40 investigators, supported by police teams and experts from around the country.

The aircraft's black boxes have been sent to France for analysis. -- AFP