SEATTLE, April 26 (Reuters) - Federal investigators have concluded Alaska Airlines' failure to lubricate a key part on an MD-80 jetliner contributed to its fatal crash 2 years ago, according to Friday's edition of the Seattle Times. In a closed meeting on Wednesday, National Transportation Safety Board experts rejected Seattle-based Alaska's theory that the grease, recommended by jet-maker Boeing Co. (BA), actually corroded the part, the paper reported. Lab tests presented at the NTSB meeting showed no evidence that corrosion caused by grease contributed to the crash, the paper reported, citing two unidentified people who were present during the review. If true, the NTSB decision could focus the blame on Alaska, which has been accused of poorly maintaining the jackscrew driving the tail-mounted horizontal stabilizer on the MD-80 that crashed off the California coast, killing all 88 on board. Alaska officials called the story "incorrect," saying grease-related tests were continuing and that the NTSB had not drawn any conclusions. NTSB rules prohibit public discussion of ongoing investigations, the airline added. A key flight control component, the two-foot-long (0.6 meter) jackscrew on the doomed jet was found lacking sufficient grease and wrapped in metal strands that peeled off a gimbal nut through which it passed. Investigators have scrutinized Alaska maintenance records and the airline's decision not to replace the jackscrew in 1997 when a regular check found it was approaching its wear limit. The airline retested the part and found it was well within the wear limit and chose not to replace the part, which can reportedly cost up to $60,000. ©2002 Reuters Limited.