Site where a Pulkovo Airlines TU-154 plane crashed near Donetsk, Ukraine on August 22, 2006
Photo: Irina Gorbaseva
| Other Photos |
 |
|
 |
Thin Air Was TU-154 Plane's Downfall
According to preliminary conclusions drawn by Ukrainian attorney general Alexander Medvedko about the August 22 crash of a Pulkovo Airlines TU-154 plane outside Donetsk, Ukraine that resulted in 170 deaths, the crash was caused by bad weather and incorrect actions taken by the crew. The Russian Transportation Ministry and the Intergovernmental Aviation Committee (MAK), however, think that Medvedko's conclusions are too hasty in light of continuing investigations by a technical commission into the cause of the crash.
In a press conference yesterday, Medvedko blamed the crash on the decision by the crew to attempt to fly over thunderstorms in the plane's planned flight path. Pulkovo's policies allow pilots to fly over or around thunderstorms as necessary, and the pilot initially requested and received permission from the Ukrainian ground control to deviate from his flight plan by 20 km in an attempt to circumvent the storm. When that proved to be inadequate – the storm extended even beyond the new flight path – he correctly notified the ground control of his intention to fly over the clouds and requested permission for a possible emergency landing in Donetsk. According to Medvedko's interpretation, however, the storm front turned out to extend much higher than the pilot expected (it exceeded 15 km in height), and when the plane reached a height of 12,400 meters, turbulence was so severe that the pilot lost control amid powerful updrafts that nudged the plane to the upper limits of its altitude capability. At that height, the plane needed the full power of all of its engines, but in the thinner air and higher temperatures (-36 degrees Celsius instead of the usual -55), two of the plane's three engines died simultaneously, causing the plane to lose speed and go into a deadly tailspin. Several apparent attempts to restart the engines during the approximately four minutes of free fall before the plane hit the ground were unsuccessful.
Medvedko's assertions were based on a report compiled by Colonel Andrey Strigun, who studied the crash site, as well as dispatcher's data from the Kharkov airport, in whose jurisdiction the plane went down, reports by witnesses, and videos taken of the crash by people with mobile phones. His conclusions are similar to those drawn by Ukrainian and Russian officials in the immediate aftermath of the crash. The Russian Transport Ministry even sent around a notice to airline companies warning them of the danger posed by storms and recommending extra training for crew members in dealing with such situations. However, the Russian side, concerned that Medvedko's remarks about the cause of the crash were premature, is still calling for further technical investigations. "Let the Ukrainian attorney general's comments remain on his conscience. I think he is putting the cart before the horse…I do not doubt the competence of our pilots," said Vasily Naletenko, the deputy general director of Pulkovo Airlines.
Nikolay Sergeev
All the Article in Russian as of Sep. 09, 2006
|
|
|
