Kenya Airways crash: the investigation continues

Published: Wednesday, 06 January 2010 14:12

The Director General of the Aeronautical Authority, Ignatius SAMA JUMA, communicated this information to the press on May 5, 2008, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the drama.

Was the crash of the Kenya Airways Boeing 737-800 on May 05, 2007 in Mbanga Pongo due to a human error or a technical problem? In the current state of its investigations, the technical commission of investigation created by order of the Prime Minister in the aftermath of the accident and installed last May 18 in Douala, cannot yet pronounce. On the other hand, the committee (gathering experts from Cameroon, investigators from Kenya and the United States) has completed the collection of the elements whose analysis will provide the definitive answers. Work that took place over a year ago. This is what emerges from the press briefing given on 5 May 2008 in Yaoundé by Mr Ignatius SAMA JUMA, Director General of the Aeronautical Authority.

"The first investigations focused on the examination of the site of the crash and the recovery of the registrars," explained the Director General, before going back on the other advances.
The flight data recorder found on 07 May that have the conversations at the pilot station found on 15 June interviews with witnesses, assessment of the activities of the Douala control tower, etc. According to the flight data recorder, "the flight which lasted around 2 minutes climbed to an altitude of about 3000 feet and began to descend, pounding the ground in an area Swampy mangrove swamp located about 3NM (5km) south / south-east of the airport The speed of the aircraft when crashing into the ground was 516 km / hour with an acceleration of descent of 3, 5 times that of the earth's gravity, and it is this high speed that explains why the aircraft and its occupants have been virtually reduced to crumbs, "said SAMA JUMA.

In this phase of the survey, missions were also carried out. In Nairobi, from 15 to 23 October 2007, to gather information on the maintenance of the accident aircraft. In Abidjan and Cotonou in December 2007, to shed light on the activities of the crew during the last 36 hours before the crash. In the United States in September 2007 for analysis of performances and last April, to attend the simulated reenactment of the last minutes of flight of the plane.

The next stage of the inquiry will be the analysis of the information gathered and afterwards, we will finally know what led to the drama of May 05, 2007 in Mbanga Mpongo, where 114 people lost the life.
Joël WADEM