Pilot error remains focus as authorities offer no solid explanation about tragedy.
The day after an Air India Express flight crashed at Mangalore airport, leaving 158 dead and eight survivors, the hunt for answers gained momentum. Initial blame for the accident has been put on pilot error, but that cannot be said with certainty till the digital flight data recorder (DFDR) — the black box — is found.
The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and the digital flight data acquisition unit (DFDAU) of the IX812 flight have been found, but a search continued for the DFDR at the time of going to press. The Boeing 737-800 overshot the runway and burst into flames after plunging into a ravine.
The DFDR, which records actual flight conditions, including altitude, airspeed, heading, vertical acceleration and aircraft pitch, is vital for clarity; the CVR, which records pilots’ voices, and the DFDAU, which records short-duration flight parameters, will help in shedding some light on what transpired in the final moments. A press release by civil aviation authorities said analysis of data from the recovered equipment will take a fortnight.
In Mangalore, Air India CMD Arvind Jadhav did not have clear answers to questions posed on the unusual delay in tracing the black box.
There were unconfirmed reports on the recovery black box throughout the day.
He also defended the crew of the doomed Air India Express IX 812 flight by reiterating that pilots did not suffer from fatigue and had the expertise as well as the flying hours to ensure the safety of passengers and tackle any emergency.
“Pilots captain Zlotka Glusica and captain HS Ahluwalia had three days of rest. They did not violate any guidelines set by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),” he said. “Ahluwalia’s death was a shock to us. He was not a raw pilot, an untrained pilot. He was due for Commandership this month.”
Though the CVR has been affected by fire, “it is expected to yield the desired information,” a DGCA statement said.
The throttle in the cockpit, which was extricated from the debris, was found in a forward position suggesting that the pilot may have attempted a final thrust to take-off seconds before the crash.
The instruments will be sent to Delhi on Monday to be examined by the air safety directorate of the DGCA. Experts from the US Federal Aviation Authority, Boeing and air safety firm Kenyon will be assisting in deciphering the black box and the CVR.
Air India has announced interim compensation for the next of kin of victims: Rs10 lakh in the case of victims above 12 years of age, and Rs5 lakh below 12. He announced Rs2 lakh for the injured.
“This will be over and above Rs2 lakh to the families of each victim announced by the prime minister,” Jadhav said.
He said 128 bodies have been identified and handed over to relatives, but 12 are yet to be identified. Post mortem is being carried out on 18 bodies. A forensic team from Hyderabad carried out DNA tests on bodies charred beyond recognition.
—With agency inputs
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