[wdfifteen]

ossi is right. I watched the CNN report. In the context I understood when the guy said the "plane" he was talking about the autopilot and when he said "struggle" he meant "try." It was typical news report hyperbole, but if you watch the news you understand they overstate everything.
What was the alternative? You ascend, you descend, or you try to maintain altitude. In context it was clear that of the alternatives, they were saying the autopilot tried to maintain altitude. What programming would you suggest, "If the engines go dead, immediately dive to your death?"