A Note to Our Readers

Dear Readers,
We make a special effort here to record the facts as we receive them. At times, there may be error but we do try to use our best judgement at the time of posting, and will be glad to amend any details which are proved incorrect. Furthermore, even though we do not here discuss the human cost, we realize that losing anyone in an air accident is insurmountable tragedy to individuals, families and communities. We do extend our heartfelt sympathy to those whose loss we record here. "...any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for..." us all.
Meditation XVII - (with apologies to) John Donne


2008/09/30

Perm Crash update


  • Because of the September 14 crash of the Russian Aeroflot-Nord while preparing to land in the city of Perm in the Ural Mountains area, the Russian Federal Air Transportation Agency has suspended the use of a subtype of Boeing 737-500s until their pilots receive additional training.

  • The training involves a key indicator showing the plane's attitude, ( artificial horizon) The attitude indicator is designed differently on Soviet and Western planes. Investigators have not yet determined what caused the crash, but the pilot had little experience in piloting Boeings, so the speculation is that the cause was pilot error.

  • Notification of the ban has been sent to six air companies, including Aeroflot-Nord, Aeroflot-Don and Volga-Dnepr

  • Russian carrier Aeroflot-Nord has also temporarily suspended operations with a Boeing 737-300 because its instrument panel includes indicators similar to those on the 737-500. Tthe cockpit of the VP-BKT features "special" director-indicator pointers on complex flight-control and navigational instruments.

  • The Urals city lab is conducting DNA identification the 88 victims of the September 14 Boeing 737 crash in Perm. The workload has caused such a backlog that it is delaying work on the comparison of DNA samples from Nicholas II's blood-stained shirt and bone fragments.

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