RUSSIAN AIR FORCE COMMANDER BLAMES A-320 CRASH ON BAD WEATHER
ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 16 2006
LYUBERTSY, Moscow Region, May 16 (Itar-Tass) — The A-320 liner of
the Armenian air carrier Armavia crashed near Sochi’s Adler airport
due to bad weather, the commander of Russia’s Air Force, General of
the Army Vladimir Mikhailov has said.
“The weather is to blame for what happened. When we get the voice and
data recorders, this version will be confirmed,” Mikhailov said. In
his opinion the pilot made the correct decision, when he steered the
plane back after the first unsuccessful attempt to land the plane.
“He should have returned (the plane to the airport of departure). He
should not have changed his mind. This often leads to grave
consequences,” Mikhailov said, adding that specialists at the research
and development institute No. 13 of the Defense Ministry were ready
to provide assistance in decoding and interpreting data yet to be
retrieved from the “back boxes.”
The crash of the A-320 plane of the Armavia airlines in the small
hours of May 3 near Sochi claimed the lives of all 113 passengers
and crew on board. The liner crashed into the Black Sea and fell apart.
Its fragments sank 6-7 kilometers away from the coastline.