Human error to blame for May 3 Black Sea air crash

RIA Novosti, Russia
July 26, 2006

YEREVAN, July 26 (RIA Novosti) – Human error caused a crash of an
Armenian Airbus into the Black Sea on May 3, Russian Transportation
Minister Igor Levitin said Wednesday.

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 human factor in bad weather played a role," the minister said.

Members of the Interstate Aviation Committee came to this conclusion
on the results of the investigation of the Armenian liner’s crash.

Investigators said the liner stopped descending at a height of 340
meters and started turning to the right with a simultaneous climb.
The pilot then turned off the automatic pilot system and started
landing the liner even though he had totally lost control over the
parameters need for landing, the committee said.

The crash investigators said further actions by the crew were
uncoordinated but there had been no engine failure or fuel shortage.