Throttle error cited in crash
An engine throttle in the wrong position probably was a major cause of Brazil’s worst air accident, a congressional committee reported Wednesday, citing data from the flight recorder.
Marco Maia, a senior member of the panel investigating the July 17 crash that killed 199 people, said the throttle “was not in the correct position.” But he said that did not necessarily mean human error.
Maia said aircraft equipment failure had not been ruled out, and that it was possible the pilots had shifted the throttle lever correctly but that the plane’s computer had failed to respond.
Moments before TAM Airlines Flight 3054 skidded off a runway, hit buildings and exploded, co-pilot Kleyber Lima screamed, “Slow down!” flight recorder transcripts showed.
Pilot Henrique Stephanini Di Sacco replied: “I can’t. I can’t. Oh my God! Oh my God!”
Lima’s last words were: “Go! Go! Turn! Turn! Turn!”
The recording ends with screams and an explosion.
The report casts doubt on speculation that a slippery runway was the major cause. Authorities were criticized for opening a repaved runway without grooves to speed drainage.
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