Crocodile tears and all.
Posted on 01/12/2011 9:54:25 AM PST by lizol
Pilot error cause of Smolensk crash, say Russian investigators
12.01.2011 10:55
Tatyana Anodina, head of the Russian investigative team into the Smolensk air disaster (Interstate Aviation Committee - MAK) has blamed pilot error in the resubmission of the report into the death of President Kaczynski and 95 others in Smolensk last April.
The main conclusions to the revised, 210 page report – after Prime Minister Donald Tusk asked for clarifications and corrections to the original document handed over to Poland last October – are that:
* the crew failed to take the decision to land at another airport, as suggested by air traffic control despite information of unfavourable weather conditions.
* a dangerous drop in altitude despite poor visibility [heavy fog] and despite warnings from the control tower.
* a lack of correct reactions from the pilot despite warnings issued by the automatic Terrain Awareness and Warning System
* the crew repeatedly received information that meteorological conditions did not meet minimum requirements for landing.
* the crew did not make the decision to fly to a reserve airport – that is when the extraordinary circumstances ensued
* the crew attempted to land despite conditions below minimum requirements, thus taking on full responsibility for the consequences.
* using the autopilot while landing was not stipulated in aviation rules for landing in such conditions.
* the crew decreased altitude with speed exceeding the safe rate twofold
* the presence of the head of Poland’s Air Force in the cockpit and the predicted negative reaction of the main passenger {President Kaczynski] exerted pressure on the crew to land.
* collaboration between the crew was less than satisfactory.
* the deficiencies of the airport’s infrastructure and its equipment were not the reason behind the catastrophe.
* it was an international flight, where the main pilot had the right to decide independently on the landing or leaving the airport.
The 'second Katyn'
The report is being released in its entirety on the internet this morning in English and Russian and is sure to cause controversy in Poland among those who suspect a cover up by the Russian investigators as to the real causes of the disaster.
The original report was sent back by PM Tusk in December, saying some of the conclusions and methodology were “unacceptable” and not in keeping with the Chicago Convention on international aviation disaster investigations.
Suspicions as to the motives behind Russian conclusions as to the cause of the crash in western Russia - as President Kaczynski, First Lady Maria and 94 top politicians and military were on their way to an anniversary ceremony of the 1940 Katyn massacre – emerged almost immediately after the fatal crash on 10 April last year.
Artur Gorski from the Law and Justice party said three days after the crash that Russians have “come up with some dubious reasons” as to the cause of the disaster because they feared President Lech Kaczynski's presence would overshadow a similar event hosted by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and attended by Prime Minister Tusk a few days before.
That theme has continued ever since.
Twin brother of the late president and leader of the Law and Justice party Jaroslaw Kaczynski has said that negligence and collusion between governments in Warsaw and Moscow has assured the real truth has not come out.
Crocodile tears and all.
Oh yea, we believe the report.The russians have never lied have they?
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Drank CSAF in a cocpit is enough to me. There were too much big fish in one plane and it couldn’t end up without a disaster. I imagine that numerous landing attempts with a President screwing DoD who is screwing CSAF who finally runs to a cocpit with a President’s first aide to promise aircrew a cropdusting carreer.
Keep in mind, Polish President has fired his previous aircrew who refused to land in Tbilisi, Georgia under bombing in 2008. In their interview dudes were complained he was hysterical and threated to court martial them.
OK - that’s in the first line of my post.
But what about the issues raised in my questions?
As for second line I heard GC has suggested two alternative airports but captain refused it. They were fully aware about a Russian tanker deverted elsewhere too. I’m not sure if an GC is in power to deny foreign AF # 1 landing.
As for third line I have no idea. An airbase was poorly equipped and Polish airmen were fully aware of it too. Maybe GC were used to guide fighters or light transports earlier which are much more flexible in terms of handling.
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