Black box found in wreckage of UPS freighter
Probe continues into cause of desert crash that killed pilots
The digital flight data recorder, or “black box”, from a UPS cargo aircraft that crashed while returning to Dubai Airport on Friday has been recovered from the wreckage.
Investigations into the tragedy, which resulted in the death of the aircraft’s two US pilots, have sparked concerns about preventing and responding to cockpit smoke.
The cockpit voice recorder was recovered approximately six hours after the crash. Both recorders will be sent to the US for further analysis.
Meanwhile, investigators are trying to work out why the two experienced pilots decided to return to Dubai, rather than land at a closer airstrip in Bahrain after declaring an emergency.
The aircraft was on its way to a UPS hub at Koln-Bonn Airport in Germany when, just over 20 minutes into the flight, information was received at Dubai from Bahrain that smoke had been reported in the cockpit and the freighter was unable to maintain altitude.
In its preliminary report, the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority said: “The UAE Air Traffic Control Centre issued a clearance when the aircraft was approximately 40km from touchdown. It passed overhead and made a right turn.
“The aircraft tracked south-west and rapidly lost altitude, and radar contact was lost. The aircraft crashed in an unpopulated area 50 minutes from departure.”
The report suggests the cockpit smoke could have been a major factor in the incident, possibly preventing the pilot from changing radio frequency and controlling the plane’s altitude.
The pilot had already switched his radio to a different frequency and couldn’t switch it back.
Investigations into the tragedy, which resulted in the death of the aircraft’s two US pilots, have sparked concerns about preventing and responding to cockpit smoke.
The cockpit voice recorder was recovered approximately six hours after the crash. Both recorders will be sent to the US for further analysis.
Meanwhile, investigators are trying to work out why the two experienced pilots decided to return to Dubai, rather than land at a closer airstrip in Bahrain after declaring an emergency.
The aircraft was on its way to a UPS hub at Koln-Bonn Airport in Germany when, just over 20 minutes into the flight, information was received at Dubai from Bahrain that smoke had been reported in the cockpit and the freighter was unable to maintain altitude.
In its preliminary report, the UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority said: “The UAE Air Traffic Control Centre issued a clearance when the aircraft was approximately 40km from touchdown. It passed overhead and made a right turn.
“The aircraft tracked south-west and rapidly lost altitude, and radar contact was lost. The aircraft crashed in an unpopulated area 50 minutes from departure.”
The report suggests the cockpit smoke could have been a major factor in the incident, possibly preventing the pilot from changing radio frequency and controlling the plane’s altitude.
The pilot had already switched his radio to a different frequency and couldn’t switch it back.
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