Air France Flight 296
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| Summary | |
|---|---|
| Date | June 26, 1988 |
| Type | Pilot error (disputed) |
| Site | Mulhouse-Habsheim Airport, France |
| Fatalities | 3 |
| Injuries | ? |
| Aircraft | |
| Aircraft type | Airbus A320 |
| Operator | Air France |
| Tail number | F-GFKC |
| Passengers | 130 |
| Crew | 6 |
| Survivors | 133 |
Air France Flight 296 was a chartered flight of a newly-delivered fly-by-wire Airbus A320 operated by Air France. On June 26, 1988, it was scheduled to fly over Mulhouse-Habsheim Airport (ICAO code LFGB) at a low speed with landing gear down at an altitude of 100 feet (30 m) as part of an air show, but crashed into a nearby forest. The cause of the accident is disputed, as many irregularities in the accident investigation were later revealed. This was the first ever crash involving a Airbus A320.
Contents |
[edit] Official report
The captain, Michel Asseline, initiated a descent from 1000 ft (300 m) at low speed as he approached the runway. The first officer, Pierre Mazière, informed the captain as they approached the target 100 foot (30 m) altitude, but Asseline had failed to maintain sufficient airspeed, and the aircraft descended to 30 feet (10 m). The plane struck trees near the end of the runway and crashed into the forest. The accident was caused by Captain Asseline's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed and altitude on a runway approach with obstacles ahead.
[edit] Disputed account
[edit] A320 operation anomalies
Captain Asseline asserted the altimeter read 100 feet (30 m) despite video evidence that the plane was as low as 30 feet (10 m). He also reported that the engines didn't respond to his throttle input as he attempted to increase power. The month prior to the accident, Airbus posted two Operational Engineering Bulletins indicating anomalous behavior noted in the A320 aircraft. These bulletins were received by Air France but not sent out to pilots until after the accident:
[edit] OEB 19/1: Engine Acceleration Deficiency at Low Altitude
This OEB noted that the engines may not respond to throttle input at low altitude.
[edit] OEB 06/2: Baro-Setting Cross Check
This OEB stated that the barometric altitude indication on the A320 did not always function properly.
These malfunctions could have caused both the lack of power when the throttle was increased, and the inability of the crew to recognize the sharp sink rate as the plane passed 100 feet into the trees.
[edit] Investigation irregularities
According to French Law, the Flight Data Recorder and Cockpit Voice Recorder are to be immediately retrieved by the police in the event of an aircraft accident. However, the recorders were taken by the civil aviation authorities and held for 10 days until they were finally confiscated. When the recorders were returned, they had been physically opened and the magnetic tape tampered with. 8 seconds of tape was removed, including the 4 seconds immediately prior to the crash, and the voice recorder and data recorder were 4 seconds out of sync at the time of the crash. This has led to allegations that the flight data recorder was seriously tampered with, or even replaced.
[edit] Outcome
The accident and resulting fire killed 3 of the 130 passengers and none of the 6 crew members. Captain Asseline and First Officer Mazière, two Air France officials and the president of the flying club sponsoring the air show were charged with manslaughter. All 5 were found guilty. Captain Asseline was sentenced to 6 months in prison, plus 12 months probation; the others were sentenced to probation.
