Vol AF 447 du 1^er juin 2009

A330-203, immatriculé F-GZCP

Press release on 3^rd August 2011

Since this morning the integrity of the BEA's investigation has been called into question following reactions to the publication of articles mentioning a modification made to the Confidential Draft Report, which had been sent to the advisers appointed by the operator, the manufacturer and the SNPL as well as to the investigation authorities participating in the investigation.

This working document contained a draft recommendation relating to the functioning of the stall warning. This draft was withdrawn because it appeared to BEA investigators that the recommendation was premature at this stage of the investigation. In fact, this subject will have to be explored more fully by the « Airplane Systems » group and completed by the work of the « Human Factors » working group, whose creation was announced during the press conference on 29 July.

This new working group, which will be made up of specialists in cognitive sciences, ergonomics and psychology will have to examine all aspects linked to man-machine interactions and to the pilots' actions in the last few minutes of the flight.

Only after all of this work has been completed and included in the Final Report will it be possible for a recommendation on the functioning of the stall warning to be made, based on reasoned scientific analysis, work in which EASA will participate.

The current controversy focuses on a recommendation that corresponds to the functioning of the stall warning in a situation where the airplane reached an extreme angle of attack that is never encountered in flight tests, or even considered.

Finally, it should be noted that the warning sounded uninterruptedly for 54 seconds after the beginning of the stall, without provoking any appropriate reaction from the crew. This fact must be analysed as a priority by the working group.

The report published on 29 July is an Interim Report. Its publication was necessary in order to issue several Safety Recommendations. The causes of the accident will be made known with the publication of the Final Report during the first half of 2012.