FLIGHT RECORDER SHEDS NO LIGHT ON ARMENIA A-320 CRASH – OFFICIAL
RIA Novosti, Russia
June 19 2006
YEREVAN, June 19 (RIA Novosti) – Examination of the flight recorder
from an Armenian airliner that crashed into the Black Sea last month
has produced no new information on the reasons for the crash, an
official said Monday.
The A-320 Airbus, operated by the Armavia Airline, came down in stormy
weather off Russia’s Black Sea coast May 3 with the loss of all 113
passengers and crew on board.
"The interstate aviation committee has finished decoding the flight
data recorder," said Gayane Davtyan, spokeswoman for Armenia’s main
civil aviation department.
"The decoding … showed that the plane had not disintegrated in the
air," Davtyan said. "The engines were operating until the plane hit
the water."
She said the flight recorders had held information about eight flights
made by the plane April 30-May 3, including the fatal trip.
The tape lasted 26 hours 20 minutes, including 1 hour 26 minutes of
the last flight.
Russia’s Transportation Ministry said in a statement earlier Monday
that the plane had enough fuel to complete the flight safely, and
that the autopilot was off in the last minute.
Davtyan also said the commission had started detailed analysis of
recorders and planned to model the crash on a special A-320 training
plane.
"The conclusion about the reasons will be made after the analysis
and investigation, to be followed by flight safety recommendations,"
she said.
On June 8, the commission finished deciphering the other black box –
the cockpit voice recorder. The recorder had captured 33 minutes of
exchanges between the pilot of the plane and air traffic controllers at
Russia’s southern Adler airport, outside the popular resort of Sochi,
where the plane was heading.
The Russian Transportation Ministry said the transcript would not be
published in line with the standards and practices of the International
Civil Aviation Organization.