Ethiopian crew 'did everything right' before crash – Preliminary report

Ethiopia’s Transport Minister, Dagmawit Moges, on Thursday presented details from a preliminary report of the crash of the ET302 aircraft on March 10.

According to her, the multi-pronged probe body had arrived at four major conclusions and had subsequently presented two safety recommendations to the plane maker, Boeing Inc.

The four conclusions according to her pointed to the fact that the airline had done everything right before and during the flight which crashed six minutes after take off. The conclusions were:

• The aircraft had passed airworthiness test and was fit for the journey.
• The crew had the licensed qualification to operate the flight
• The takeoff role was normal
• All manufacturer’s procedures of Boeing were used but the crew was unable to control the flight

According to her information from the black boxes were the main basis of the preliminary report plus other information pieces gathered from the accident site, from the airline and the civil aviation authorities.

#Ethiopia|n Airlines Statement on the Preliminary Report of the Accident on ET 302 pic.twitter.com/azAKxyptq8

— Ethiopian Airlines (@flyethiopian) April 4, 2019

Twin safety recommendation to Boeing:
1. A review of flight control system
2. Review should be adequately vetted before planes allowed back in the skies.

Main information sources for current report:
Black box data
a. Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and
b. Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR)
Info gathered from crash site, civial aviation authorities, the airline etc.

Parties involved in the probe:
a. Ethiopia Civil Aviation Authority – lead
b. US National Transport Safety Board
c. US Federal Aviation Authority
d. European air safety body
e. French aviation investigators
f. Boeing etc.

Other details:
Technocrat who led the probe says no missing / damaged sensor as reported
The continuing probe could last a year or even more
Minister says the overarching aim of the probe is to guarantee air travel safety
Confirms Attorney General in charge of legal issues