Sacaa slams Ethiopian experts on crash cover-up

A 2020 air crash is now at the centre of a potential diplomatic row after the South African Civil Aviation Authority (Sacaa) on Wednesday called into question due process of an investigation led by the Ethiopian Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.

An ageing Cessna S550 jet, owned and operated by the Sacaa and used to calibrate airport runway equipment, crashed in George while going to calibrate the local airport’s runway. There were three people on board and
no survivors. Last year, the South African authority’s report cited pilot error as the cause. The Ethiopian view was somewhat different, also noting pilot error, but pointing out a host of other issues which may have contributed to the crash.

This includes neglect by the Sacaa to appropriately follow and implement regulations and maintenance standards.

The Ethiopians were brought in at the request of the families of the three Sacaa officials who died in the crash, who wanted an independent probe.

Among the recommendations made by the Ethiopian team was the local air incidents investigation department should be “independent from state aviation authorities and other entities which could interfere with the conduct or objectivity of an investigation”.

But in a fightback statement, the regulator Sacaa said the report, commissioned by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula, did not contain Sacaa input and was procedurally managed ineptly.

The authority hauled out an international regulation which determined the local authority, in this case the Sacaa, had to be the party to first review, provide input into the report and then share with the minister.

The Sacaa claimed the report contained “gross mistakes and inaccurate references” which could “compromise the integrity and accuracy” of the report.

The Ethiopian report is damning on many levels. It states the commander of the flight, Captain Thabiso Collins Tolo’s “upset recovery” assessment was not current, maintenance records were missing and the last time the aircraft had received an airworthy certificate was in 2019.

It was deemed expired by investigators at the time of the crash due to a lack of proper maintenance. The report said: “The last certificate of airworthiness was reissued on 29 October, 2019, with an expiry date of 30 October 2020. Due to noncompliance with Civil Aviation Regulations Part 43 requirements, the aircraft certificate of airworthiness was rendered invalid.”

ALSO READ: Families consider lawsuit against Sacaa over noncompliance, crash cover-up

Part 43 outlines detailed inspections required by the regulator as prescribed. The aircraft had experienced at least two incidents of smoke in the cockpit, forcing an aborted takeoff on one occasion. It also had an engine replacement, allegedly not correctly signed off on.

The report noted the flight data recorder (FDR) emergency electronic locator transmitter had not been properly maintained. Previously it was alleged the regulator
had grounded domestic airlines for the same reason.

The Ethiopians said the FDR had no data on the fatal flight relating to nine specific parameters, including engine performance and flight control positions, as well as warnings. It also had no cockpit voice recorder (CVR), so investigators had no idea of the exchanges between the crew in the minutes leading to the crash.

An airline pilot told The Citizen: “The Sacaa is a joke and few of us take them seriously. The fact there continues to be events which bring its credibility into question is an indictment on air safety.”

Dr Guy Leitch, aviation expert and editor of SA Flyer Magazine, said the content of the Ethiopian report and the Sacaa’s response to it further showed the malaise in the organisation.

The Sacaa claimed the recent Ethiopian report contained “stark differences with the report shared with affected parties on 29 August, 2021”.

“In both the regulator and the operator’s preliminary observations, the published report contains new information and subsequent findings which differ materially from the information contained in the draft report, to which
the regulator and operator were not given an opportunity to comment.”

In this instance, the Sacaa is both the regulator and operator. The authority claimed it was “in possession of evidence that will refute the new information in the final report and, if considered, will satisfactorily address
the new findings”.

Leitch said: “But it is not paper that keeps an aircraft in the air. A pilot does.” Leitch agreed with the Sacaa’s initial assessment that the accident was primarily caused by pilot error. He said: “It is more likely the
pilot became disoriented in the clouds, banked sharply and descended rapidly after losing control.”

He added strict visual flight rules applied during calibration flights, which were “very demanding”.

“The pressure may have been too much and the position of the aircraft meant he must have been half upside-down at the time ergo possible confusion.”

An aviation adage states pilots have three minutes to live if they blunder into cloud on a visual flight rule. It can cause severe disorientation and panic.

“The aircraft, flying on a visual flight rule, should never have ventured into the clouds.”

The pilot added recurrent training and annual licence certification was critical and played an important role in pilot competency.

– news@citizen.co.za