Final Elmina crash report finds pilots were in wrong seats, pre-landing action cause of accident

by Theleaders | August 16, 2024 9:53 am

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 — The fatal plane crash last year in Bandar Elmina near Shah Alam, Selangor, was caused by the flight crew’s accidental or unintended action before the aircraft could land, and factors such as the two pilots being in the wrong seats, Malaysia’s air accident investigators said today.

In the final report released just a day before the one-year anniversary of the crash which killed all eight people on board, the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) concluded that this accident is coded as “Loss of Control – Inflight (LOC-I)”.

The report said the main cause of the crash was due to the flight crew’s “inadvertent” extension of the lift dump spoilers, while performing the “Before Landing” checklist. It said this action was most likely by the pilot who was second-in-command.

“This action led to a sudden loss of lift, resulting in catastrophic loss of control and the subsequent crash,” it said.

The report also listed four contributing factors, including the two pilots not sitting according to the airplane’s flight manual:

• Not following seating protocols: The Pilot-in-Command was supposed to be sitting in the left-hand seat, according to the flight manual. But during this flight, the Pilot-in-Command was sitting in the right-hand seat, and his Second-in-Command was sitting in the left-hand seat. “This deviation likely contributed to ineffective crew resource management and communication,” the report said.
• Inadequate crew training and awareness
• Regulatory grey areas and oversight gaps
• Ineffective communication and decision-making

Source URL: https://theleaders-online.com/final-elmina-crash-report-finds-pilots-were-in-wrong-seats-pre-landing-action-cause-of-accident/

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