Authorities investigating the Brazilian plane crash last week that killed all 62 people on board now have the full transcript of the “black box” but its contents did not immediately explain the cause of the accident, according to local TV station Globo.
The transcript from the cockpit voice recorder indicates the pilot and co-pilot noticed a steep loss of altitude about one minute before the crash, TV Globo reported on Wednesday, citing unidentified people working on the investigation.
The transcript covers about two hours of audio recording, TV Globo said, including the co-pilot asking the pilot what was going on, and saying the plane needed “more power” to be stabilised.
Brazil’s aviation accident investigation centre, Cenipa, said in a statement late on Wednesday that it “guarantees” no publication had access to the voice recorder’s audio, transcript or data. It did not comment on the content of TV Globo’s report.
The plane, an ATR-72 turboprop from local airline Voepass, was bound for Sao Paulo from Cascavel, in the southern state of Parana, and crashed at about 1.30pm local time in the town of Vinhedo, about 80km northwest of Sao Paulo.
The crash killed all on board but no-one on the ground was hurt.
Brazil plane crashed minute after pilots sensed trouble
Authorities investigating the Brazilian plane crash last week that killed all 62 people on board now have the full transcript of the “black box” but its contents did not immediately explain the cause of the accident, according to local TV station Globo.
The transcript from the cockpit voice recorder indicates the pilot and co-pilot noticed a steep loss of altitude about one minute before the crash, TV Globo reported on Wednesday, citing unidentified people working on the investigation.
The transcript covers about two hours of audio recording, TV Globo said, including the co-pilot asking the pilot what was going on, and saying the plane needed “more power” to be stabilised.
Brazil’s aviation accident investigation centre, Cenipa, said in a statement late on Wednesday that it “guarantees” no publication had access to the voice recorder’s audio, transcript or data. It did not comment on the content of TV Globo’s report.
The plane, an ATR-72 turboprop from local airline Voepass, was bound for Sao Paulo from Cascavel, in the southern state of Parana, and crashed at about 1.30pm local time in the town of Vinhedo, about 80km northwest of Sao Paulo.
The crash killed all on board but no-one on the ground was hurt.
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Video shared on social media after the accident showed the ATR-72 aircraft spinning out of control as it plunged down behind a cluster of trees near houses, sending a large plume of black smoke into the air.
The pilots did not report an emergency or adverse weather conditions, the Brazilian air force said.
TV Globo said that, according to people investigating the crash, analysis of the audio alone was unlikely to help determine the cause of the crash.
The authorities did not identify any characteristic sounds, such as from fire, electrical collapse or engine breakdowns, TV Globo said, though the audio was said to be difficult to listen to because of the noise of engines near the cabin.
A potential icing issue on the plane’s wings was not discounted or confirmed by authorities as contributing to the crash, TV Globo said.
Videos of the crash analysed by aviation experts led some to speculate that ice had accumulated on the plane.
Reuters
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