AF 447 Rio crash 01 June 2009: Passengers unconscious during crash.

Crash du vol Rio-Paris : les passagers n’étaient pas conscients de la chute de l’avion

le Mardi 10 Juillet 2012

Les familles des victimes du crash du vol AF447 Rio-Paris et leurs avocats ont estimé que le rapport d’expertise judiciaire, présenté aujourd’hui à huis-clos, mettait en lumière les responsabilités d’Airbus et d’Air France dans l’accident. Elles avaient rejeté les conclusions du BEA, la semaine dernière, qui selon elles, mettaient trop en cause les pilotes de l’appareil. Le rapport souligne que les passagers n’ont pas été conscients que l’avion chutait.

The families of the victims of the crash and their lawyers estimate that the expert legal report, presented today (Tuesday 10 July 2012) in camera, puts the spotlight on the responsibilities of Airbus and AF in the accident. They have rejected the conclusions of BEA (Bureau d’Enquete Accidents d’Avions), last week, who according to it, puts too mch blame on the flight crew. The report stresses that the passengers were unconscious when the aircraft fell from the sky.

Après la déception de la semaine dernière, lors de la publication du rapport d’enquête du BEA, les familles des victimes du crash du vol AF447 se sont montrées plus soulagées. Elles estiment que les conclusions du rapport d’expertise judiciaire, présenté aujourd’hui à huis-clos au Palais de Justice de Paris, confirme ce qu’elles ont toujours avancé : que l’accident est avant tout dû aux défaillances techniques de l’avion et à une formation des pilotes pas suffisamment poussée. Et c’est Airbus et Air France, toutes deux mises en examen pour homicide involontaire, qui sont visées.

After last week’s disappointment, on the publication of the report on the BEA study, the families of the crash victims need more reassurance. They estimate that the conclusions of the expert legal report, presented today in camera in the Palace of Justice, confirmed that which has already been advanced: that the accident, above all, was caused by technical weaknesses of the aircraft and lack of sufficient pilot training. And it is Airbus and AF, both must be put on trial on a charge of involuntary homicide. Which they are already signaled.

Lecture
“Il n’y a pas de torts partagés, il y a une responsabilité qui apparaît de

plus en énorme de l’avionneur, c’est-à-dire Airbus, et également d’Air France“, déclare Me Alain Jakubowicz, avocat de l’association Entraide et solidarité AF447. “Les quelques points qui pourraient incriminer l’équipage sont la conséquence de cela et non pas la cause“, ajoute-t-il.

“It is not a matter of sharing the blame. The majority of the responsibility is with Airbus and AF”, said Maitre (Barrister) AlainJakubowicz, lawyer, association for mutual (entraide) support AF447. “The few incriminating points of the flight crew are a consequence of this accident but not the cause” he added.

“Déficit d’information” aux pilotes (Lack of training)

 

Le contenu de ce document de 356 pages avait largement “fuité” la semaine dernière, au moment de publication du document du BEA. Le rapport d’expertise judiciaire note ainsi un “déficit d’information aux équipages” sur le givrage des sondes indiquant la vitesse de l’appareil qui aurait été “contributif de l’effet de surprise“. Selon le document, les procédures d’urgence sont inadaptées et/ou inadéquates, notamment la procédure “IAS douteuse”, qui s’est révélée en décalage par rapport aux symptômes perçus et la procédure en cas d’alarme de décrochage, inadaptée à l’urgence de la situation.

The contents of the 365 page document  were largely “leaked” last week, at the time of the publication of the BEA report. The expert legal report noted like this a “deficit of flight crew information” on the icing of the pitot probes indicating the speed of the aircraft which would have “caused a surprise”. According to the document, the emergency procedures were not adapted and/or inadequate, notably the “IAS doubtful/spurious (indicated air speed)”, which was showing a discrepancy(décalage) by reported apparent symptoms and the procedure to cancel the warning, not adapted for the level of urgency of the situation.  

La formation des pilotes est également mise en cause. Notamment celles du copilote lorsqu’il est amené à suppléer le commandant de bord. Le texte déplore aussi un suivi insuffisant des incidents techniques depuis 2004, surtout ceux qui se rapportent à des pertes d’indications de vitesses. Et sur ce dernier point, c’est l’Agence européenne de sécurité aérienne (AESA) qui est désignée. Les familles lui reprochent son silence et son refus de répondre à toutes les questions des juges français.

The training of then pilots are equally a cause. In particularly that of the co-pilot while the he took control as the captain on board. The text criticises also the insufficient following up of technical incidents since 2004, especially those of that reported loss of speed indications. On the last point EASA (European Aviation Safety Association- The legal entity of aviation safety)was particularly concerned. The families are staying silent and refusing to answer all question of the French legal representatives.

Pas de scènes de panique (No panic on board)

Mais les actions de l’équipage sont aussi mises en cause. Ainsi le commandant n’aurait-il “pas assumé ses responsabilités managériales” et n’aurait “pas eu de réaction appropriée à l’alarme” de décrochage. But the actions of the crew are also a cause for concern. Like this “the captain didn’t assume his managerial responsibility” and would “not reacte appropriately  to the warning” 

Autre point du rapport qui était attendu des familles : il semble que les passagers n’aient pas eu conscience du drame qui était en train de se nouer au dessus de l’Atlantique ce 1er juin 2009. “Il n’y a pas eu de scènes de panique“, note Me Jakubovicz. Another point in then report which was noted by the families: it seems that ten passengers were not conscious of ten drama unfolding of the events above the Atlantic on 1st June 2009. “There was no signs of panic” noted Maitre Jakubovicz.

About bill

Worked in the technical / engineering area as a Science Laboratory Technician and as an Aeronautics Engineer. The artistic side involves writing under the nom de plume of Billy Olsenn, his recently written play 'A Case of Wine' was staged by the players group Straight Make-Up at the 2012 Birr one act drama festival. It's next staging was in the one act circuit is in Cavan, at Maudebawn on Sat 10 Nov 2012. Then it was performed in the Bray, Co.Wicklow at the very popular one act festival in January 2013. Next play is FEAR. A dark tale about revenge on the cruel death of two pensioners by young thugs. Neighbours hatch a devious and dangerous plan to exact old-style revenge. Bill is a member of the Drama League of Ireland and his plays have been critically vetted and certified as original pieces of work by the DLI. Another literary project is that of commemoration of an aircraft crash on Djouce mountain in Wicklow in 1946. Bill wrote articles for the 50th, 60th and most recently the 70th anniversary, (12 Aug 2016) all were published in the Wicklow Times and ensured the survivors of the crash, all French Girl Guides, were not forgotten. Articles reproduced on this website. But mostly this site gives a more general European and specific French slant on popular and not so popular articles of French news, translated to English by the author. Each article is translated on a paragraph by paragraph basis so easy to read in either language and even possible to improve either language by comparison of the short English and French paragraphs. Amusez vous bien. The author is currently writing an easy to read technical aviation book centered around the Fokker 50. Another interest is that dealt with in another of Bill's websites www.realnamara.net, a Statue of the mother of God, Mary. It was erected in 1972 in Dublin, at the end of the Bull Wall near Clontarf, and my grandfather William Nelson, was the main instigator of that project. I give talks on the history of the statue and my grandfather's adventurous and dangerous life at sea. Technical assistance with each website is by J O'N.
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