DECODING OF CRASHED A-320 PlANE’S RECORDS COMPLETED

Noyan Tapan
Jun 20 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The Interstate Aviation Committee on
June 17 completed the work on decoding of records made by the flight
recorder of A-320 plane that crashed near the Russian city of Sochi
on May 3. NT was informed about it from the spokesman for the head
of the RA Civil Aviation Department.

The flight recorder of the plane recorded information about 8 flights
(included the last tragic one) of the above mentioned plane during
a period from April 30 to May 3, 2006.

The total duration of records is 26 hours 20 minutes, including the
whole duration of the last flight – 1 hour 26 minutes.

The analysis results provided the following information:

a) the plane did not crash in the air,

b) the engines functioned until the plane hit the surface of water,

c) the amount of fuel in the plane was sufficient to make a safe
landing,

d) during the last minute, the flight was operated by the crew,
with the plane’s autopilot off.

It was indicated that based on the analysis and ongoing studies, a
conclusion about the causes of the crash will be made and respective
instructions on flight safety will be issued.