The much-awaited plane crash preliminary report shows no evidence of foul play involved on the fateful day and had heavily linked the accident to “heavy clouds and turbulence.”
The German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation has released a report on the aircraft accident at Chikangawa Forest that killed former vice president, late Dr Saulos Chilima and eight others.
The report, published by Germany Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation, vividly shows that the plane crash, which killed former Vice President Saulos Chilima and 8 others, was “not survivable.”
The 19-page report, which is now viral on social media,shows that the aircraft was manufactured in 1987 and had many of its key equipment and machines archaic and not maintained to the expected standards for it to be airborne.
The interim report mentions poor weather, including low visibility, clouds, and fog near the destination airport in Mzuzu,adding that the flight crew had difficulty navigating through these conditions, which could have led to spatial disorientation or an inability to maintain a safe flight path.
It also says there was a delay in locating Veep’s plane due to Faulty Equipment used for searching.
The plane’s emergency transmitter locator, according to the report, had malfunctioned due to a corresponding malfunctioning of the battery since the year 2004.
The Iaircraft made several unexplained turns and altitude changes before the crash, suggesting possible confusion or difficulty in navigation, reads the report.
The report also notes outdated information on radio navigation aids, which could have affected the crew’s ability to navigate safely.
The report,therefore, puts to rest finger pointing and unnecessary speculation as well as accusations, at least foe now, pointing to a possible foul play to kill those on board.
Malawian security expert Sheriff Kaisi earlier told the media that transparency was needed in the investigations to win the confidence of Malawians.
The plane left the capital Lilongwe at 09:17 a.m. (0717 GMT) on a Monday but was unable to land at Mzuzu airport as scheduled at 10:02 a.m. due to poor visibility.
It was ordered to return to Lilongwe but went off the radar and aviation authorities could not make contact with it.
Addressing Malawians on June 11, 2024, through a televised statement, President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera-who had on countless occasions used the fateful plane on his official engagements across the country-said all passengers on board were killed on impact
Details provided in the interim report show that the aircraft had been flying without Cockpick Voice Recorder or Flight Data Recorder, which it says were not required by relevant regulatory regulations.
The battery of its Emergency Transmission Locator is also said to have long expired in 2004 and according Malawi Defence Force, there were no spare parts or budget for replacement.
The report clearly shows that the plane did not reach Mzuzu Airport.
Briefly, the interim report does not explicitly state a definitive cause for the crash of the Dornier 228-202(K) aircraft. However, several factors likely contributed to the accident:
Marginal Weather Conditions: The report mentions poor weather, including low visibility, clouds, and fog near the destination airport in Mzuzu. The flight crew had difficulty navigating through these conditions, which could have led to spatial disorientation or an inability to maintain a safe flight path.
Lack of Functional Emergency Equipment: The aircraft’s Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) was non-functional because its battery had expired in 2004, hindering the ability to locate the crash site quickly. The lack of a Cockpit Voice Recorder or Flight Data Recorder also made it difficult to understand the crew’s actions and decisions leading up to the crash.
Navigation Issues: The aircraft made several unexplained turns and altitude changes before the crash, suggesting possible confusion or difficulty in navigation. The report also notes outdated information on radio navigation aids, which could have affected the crew’s ability to navigate safely.
Inadequate Radar Coverage: There was no radar contact with the aircraft at low altitudes, which may have prevented air traffic controllers from providing timely assistance or warnings.
The investigation is ongoing, and the final report would likely provide a more detailed analysis of the contributing factors.