A French accident investigator said Wednesday there were no signs of problems with Air France Flight 447 before takeoff and it was unclear whether the chief pilot was at the controls when the plane pl
unged into the Atlantic Ocean. The head of France's accident investigation agency, Paul-Louis Arslanian, also said he was "not optimistic" that rescuers will recover the plane's black boxes, believed to be on rugged terrain miles (kilometers) under the sea. The plane, carrying 228 people, lost contact with ground controllers after leaving Rio de Janeiro for Paris on Sunday night. The crew made no distress call before the crash, but the plane's system sent an automatic message just before it disappeared, reporting lost cabin pressure and electrical failure. The reason for the crash remained unclear, with fierce thunderstorms, lightning or a catastrophic combination of causes as possible theories. Arslanian told a news conference at Le Bourget airport north of Paris that investigators were studying the plane's maintenance and other records, and that there were "no elements" suggesting the plane had problems before takeoff. He stressed the investigation was only beginning and was likely to last long. He said investigators didn't have enough information to determine whether the plane broke up in the air or upon impact with the sea. "We don't even know the exact time of the accident," he said. Asked whether the chief pilot was in the cockpit when the plane went down, Arslanian said, "We don't have for the time being the answer." Pilots on long-haul flights often take turns at the controls to remain alert.
For further details visit at : www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iOegnahAFcEgwJZ4WKGkVz9Dgq5wD98J4TUO0
unged into the Atlantic Ocean. The head of France's accident investigation agency, Paul-Louis Arslanian, also said he was "not optimistic" that rescuers will recover the plane's black boxes, believed to be on rugged terrain miles (kilometers) under the sea. The plane, carrying 228 people, lost contact with ground controllers after leaving Rio de Janeiro for Paris on Sunday night. The crew made no distress call before the crash, but the plane's system sent an automatic message just before it disappeared, reporting lost cabin pressure and electrical failure. The reason for the crash remained unclear, with fierce thunderstorms, lightning or a catastrophic combination of causes as possible theories. Arslanian told a news conference at Le Bourget airport north of Paris that investigators were studying the plane's maintenance and other records, and that there were "no elements" suggesting the plane had problems before takeoff. He stressed the investigation was only beginning and was likely to last long. He said investigators didn't have enough information to determine whether the plane broke up in the air or upon impact with the sea. "We don't even know the exact time of the accident," he said. Asked whether the chief pilot was in the cockpit when the plane went down, Arslanian said, "We don't have for the time being the answer." Pilots on long-haul flights often take turns at the controls to remain alert.For further details visit at : www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iOegnahAFcEgwJZ4WKGkVz9Dgq5wD98J4TUO0
