- Title: Colombian aviation officials investigate lack of fuel in plane crash
- Date: 1st December 2016
- Summary: MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA (NOVEMBER 30, 2016) (REUTERS) AVIATION OFFICIALS ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE JOURNALISTS AT CONFERENCE OFFICIALS GREETING JOURNALISTS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) COLOMBIAN SECRETARY FOR CIVIL AVIATION SECURITY, FREDDY BONILLA, SAYING: "One of the hypotheses that we are investigating and dealing with after not finding fuel at the impact zone, in the plains nor in the supply lines, is that there was a black out in the motors due to the lack of fuel. Having the motors shut down... The motors are the electrical source, they produce the electric source. Even though the plane had an APU, a back-up generator, but without fuel, obviously the electrical source would have been completely lost."
- Embargoed: 16th December 2016 03:52
- Keywords: Chapecoense plane crash Colombia Brazil investigation
- Location: MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA
- City: MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA
- Country: Colombia
- Reuters ID: LVA0015B1W30N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Colombian aviation officials said they were investigating the hypothesis that a lack of fuel in the aircraft which crashed into a Colombian mountainside killing 71 people on Monday (November 28) night, led to an electrical failure on the plane.
Colombian Secretary For Civil Aviation Security, Freddy Bonilla, spoke to journalists in Medellin on Wednesday (November 30) evening, where the rescue effort continued, to identify all bodies and treat the sole six survivors.
"One of the hypotheses that we are investigating and dealing with after not finding fuel at the impact zone, in the plains nor in the supply lines, is that there was a black out in the motors due to the lack of fuel. Having the motors shut down... The motors are the electrical source, they produce the electric source. Even though the plane had an APU, a back-up generator, but without fuel, obviously the electrical source would have been completely lost," said Bonilla.
Audio released by the flight control centre showed the pilot had requested instructions for an emergency landing due to a lack of fuel and electrical failure.
That matched the account from the co-pilot of an Avianca plane flying close by at the time. He said he overheard the LAMIA plane reporting it was out of fuel and had to land.
Bonilla explained the investigation was being carried out with international cooperation.
"Of the 24 experts one is here in Rio Negro, Colombia, an investigator for the aircraft registry, an investigator from the Bolivian aviation authorities. Also, two British experts have just arrived from the British aviation service seeing as it was a British made plane. We are also waiting for experts to arrive from ANAC, the National Aviation Agency of Brazil. And lastly, we also want the NTSB (U.S. National Transportation Safety Board) to participate," said Bonilla.
The BAe 146, made by BAE Systems Plc, slammed into a mountainside next to La Union town outside Medellin. Besides the three players, a journalist and two crew members survived. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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