ANZ plane down in Mediterranean.

New Zealand accepts French report blaming pilots and maintenance.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iCmHJM_Dj455mnfxy9Gjx8vBytyQ?docId=CNG.257bcef9eef716bd0729156f4bceb718.511

The German pilots of an Air New Zealand Airbus A320 screamed in terror as they struggled to cope with a sudden surge in power, moments before their test flight off the French coast ended in tragedy last November, New Zealand media said on Monday.

The cause of the crash on November 28, which killed five New Zealanders and two Germans, is still not officially known as data from the plane’s flight and voice recorders is still being analysed, broadcaster TV3 said in a report.

But the data shows the plane experienced a surge in power as it was about to land at Perpignan in southern France, causing it to climb steeply before plunging into the Mediterranean Sea, TV3 quoted chief investigator Jean-Pierre Dreno as saying.

“First it goes up, and then it falls on its side before entering the sea,” Dreno said, adding the cockpit voice recorder captured the pilots’ screams as they struggled to regain control.

The plane had been leased by national carrier Air New Zealand to German carrier XL Airways for the previous two years. It was being flown by two XL pilots on a test-flight prior to being returned to Air New Zealand.

Also on board were four Air New Zealand staff and an inspector from New Zealand’s Civil Aviation Authority.

In a statement released on Monday, Air New Zealand said it was still not aware of the cause of the crash, and it had been informed that analysis of the flight data would not be complete for a number of weeks.

The A320 is a twin-engine, single-aisle airliner made by Airbus that normally seats around 150 passengers. About 1,960 A320 aircraft are in service with airlines around the world.

(Reuters)

What was the cause of the infamous Air France A320 crash, captured on video ploughing into the forest ? Not quite a defective computer, but one that decided it was in charge of the plane…

No computer decided to fly an airliner full of people at 30 feet over an airfield neither pilot had ever visited before, and to do so at a high angle of attack and low speed, when the captain eventually decided it might be an idea to apply some power the engines responded as they should have done and in fact the engine speed was 83% N1 when the aircraft hit the trees, the Airbus flight control system is good, but it won’t stop you flying the aircraft into the ground.

I’ve flown on both types many a time ..but flying on an A320 at the moment ..the cause of the accident would always be in the back of your mind

Hear we go again. The Boeing Vs Airbus row.
Both are fine aircraft.
Both types have crashed.
Both have to pass the same vigorous regulatory standards as each other
Both manufacturers go to extraordinary lengths to keep people safe,
Both have had accidents were the CVR and the FDR were not working (Silkair was a 737)
The A320 family is not to blame hear. It was either a problem with the individual aircraft or the individual flight.

Rgds Cking

The previous two incidents were on the A330 which has a different configuration of flight computers, this is the first on the A320.

What was the cause of the infamous Air France A320 crash, captured on video ploughing into the forest ? Not quite a defective computer, but one that decided it was in charge of the plane…

My son was to fly to the Gold Coast on a Jetstar A320..i’ve now convinced him to fly Qantas or Virgin Blue on their Boeings

You are right, but airlines are concerned that this may be the third accident caused by a defective flight-control computer.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10549848

Six bodies have now been recovered. According to the Washington Post, no useful information has been gained from either of the flight recorders!:confused:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4803818a11.html

Not yet, the flight recorders still have not been returned to Honeywell who will have a much better chance of retrieving any information they may contain.

Six bodies have now been recovered. According to the Washington Post, no useful information has been gained from either of the flight recorders!:confused:

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4803818a11.html

Retrieval of the aircraft is likely to be delayed until next year due to its location and the currents in the area. Only three bodies have been found so far.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4793543a11.html

The jet had been undergoing servicing at EAS Industries in Perpignan and flying circuits for 90 minutes before it crashed, an emergency services spokesman said

An hour and a half circuits and bumps would have shook the defects out of her. Any defect due to maintenance would have shown up long before then

Rgds Cking

I think it is a misnomer to keep calling this a ‘training flight’, it is either a pre-acceptance flight or a test flight following maintenance.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-11/28/content_10426058.htm

or the fact that it was on a training flight with newly Airbus qualified pilots?????? Personaly I have heard of more aircraft losses during flight crew training than post maintenance test flights.
Sad for the familys no mater why
Rgds Cking

Actually, it appears the plane was flown by two highly experienced pilots from XL-Airways Germany.

Having had a major check, I am guessing there is a good chance the accident may be related.

or the fact that it was on a training flight with newly Airbus qualified pilots?????? Personaly I have heard of more aircraft losses during flight crew training than post maintenance test flights.
Sad for the familys no mater why
Rgds Cking

Oopps! read straight past the ‘to the day’ bit….my bad!

The authorities report 2 bodies found at this point.
The wreckage of the plane lies 35 deep on the bottom of the ocean.

However I am confused as to why it is ironic?

I think Newforest was just trying to make the point that it’s a weird coincidence that two of their major accidents have occured on the same day.

It’s a real tragedy. I suppose the only slim positives to take are that no passengers were onboard and that hopefully lessons can be learned as to the cause. RIP to the crew/engineers.

A sad loss of life, and obviously feel for their families. Having had a major check, I am guessing there is a good chance the accident may be related.
However I am confused as to why it is ironic?

Ironic that it was twenty nine years to the day that the Mount Erebus crash occurred.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_New_Zealand_Flight_901