The final report into the 2009 Air France crash was said that pilot error, combined with technical faults, caused the accident.
French Accident Investigation Bureau’s (BEA) report into flight AF447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, which crashed into the Atlantic Ocean on 1 June 2009, killing all 228 passengers and crew, said that cockpit crew of the Airbus A330 had taken incorrect action and were “in a state of almost total loss of control of the situation”.
As per previous investigations, the BEA report found that faulty speed sensors had caused confusion in the cockpit. This lead to the pursuit of manslaughter charges, which were filed against Air France and Airbus last year.
In response to the report, Air France defended its pilots, saying they “acted in line with the information provided by the cockpit instruments and systems”.
“The reading of the various data did not enable them to apply the appropriate action. In this deteriorated aircraft cockpit environment, the crew, with the skills of one flight captain and two first officers, were committed to carrying out their task of piloting the aircraft to the very end,” an airline statement said.
The BEA report also outlined a series of recommendations for the industry, including the improvement of communication systems and new crew training and resources.
The aircraft experienced difficulties when entering a storm over the Atlantic, off the northeast coast of Brazil. It is believed that having frozen over, the aircraft’s speed sensors gave incorrect readings. This confused pilots and the aircraft stalled, sending it into a dive.
Twelve crew and 216 passengers from 32 nationalities lost their lives. Air France has since replaced the speed sensors on its aircraft.
