Alliance crash -- `Blame it on the pilots'

Alliance crash -- `Blame it on the pilots'
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

New Delhi, September 12: The preliminary inquiry report into the Alliance Air crash in Patna on June 17 in which more than 58 people died says that ``pilot error'' was the cause of the crash. The report claims that a minute before it crashed, the aircraft was on a normal flight path and did not request an emergency landing although it was losing height.

Interestingly, soon after the crash, Union Minister for Civil Aviation Sharad Yadav had ruled out pilot error amid criticism that it was very ``convenient'' to blame the pilots who were dead rather than find out what happened in the ATC or the condition of the aging aircraft.

But sources said that with the decoding of the `black box' and the deposition of the Air Traffic Controllers (ATC) before the court of inquiry conducted by Air Marshal P Rajkumar, it was ``increasingly clear'' that the cash was caused due to pilot error.

The last recording from the ill-fated aircraft was a loud ``Noooo'' just before it went down, according to the Air Traffic Control records.According to the tape transcripts, one of the two pilots, Capt M S Sohanpal and Capt A S Bagga, had sought permission of the Patna ATC to take a 360- degree turn as the plane was ``high on approach.'' The pilot had confirmed that the aerodrome was ``in sight'' seconds before the click sound of the crash was recorded.

The panel, which began its investigations on August 10, and also visited the crash site, said the Boeing 737 pilots had acknowledged transmission with the ATC .

An official press release said that the day-to-day progress of the investigation will be now available on line. Details about the aircraft, its operations and technical details have been made available on the website.