Fri, Sep 16, 2011
Russian Media Reporting Low-Time Crew May Have Made 'Blonde's
Mistake'
In the case of a Yak 42 airliner (file photo shown) that
crashed in Russia September 7, killing 44 people, Russian media is
reporting that investigators have ruled out possible causes
including low-quality fuel, engine failure and other technical
malfunction. Speculation is now directed at a mistake almost
everyone has made in an automobile at some point - forgetting to
release the parking brake.
RT.com says the Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper Wednesday cited
an unidentified source close to the investigation as saying, quote
- "It looks like the tragedy was caused by a ‘banal
error’ by the pilots, which motorists call 'the blonde's
mistake'. They may have forgotten to release the parking brake.
"The commission investigating the crash has established that the
plane started its takeoff run with the parking brake set. The
engine is powerful enough to get the plane moving along the runway,
but the aircraft cannot pick up the takeoff speed."
Test pilot Sergey Knyshov told the paper Russian pilots are
under pressure to fly, no matter what. "Russian pilots have no
right to get sick. In other countries, a pilot has a right to
refuse to fly three times a year without giving any reason. But in
Russia it is – get some pills and move on –
that’s it."
Other sources are reporting cockpit audio reveals the flight's
commander, identified as Andrey Solomentsev, asked co-pilot Igor
Zhevelov to take over the steering, as he was feeling sick. It's
thought the release of the brake may have been overlooked in the
hand-off. The sources say investigators have confirmed the takeoff
roll started with the parking brake still set.
Another issue getting scrutiny is pilot experience. Solomentsev
reportedly had just 1,400 total hours, Zhevelov only 400. The
investigation continues.
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