Probe into Spanair plane crash on; Spanish govt defends its safety norms

Investigators in Spain are trying to find out whether the Spanair’s MD-82 plane that crashed last week had gained adequate speed for takeoff and also whether the ill-fated aircraft’s flaps operated properly. Only 18 people survived after the MD-82 jet crashed while taking off for a flight to the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the western coast of Africa that is popular with vacationers.

A total of 154 passengers died in the crash.

The plane had ascended only briefly from the runway of the Madrid-Barajas Airport, located about 12 kilometres from the centre of Madrid, capital of Spain. While initial speculation that the engine might have caught fire has weakened, investigators are looking at whether there was a lack of necessary engine power as the aircraft attempted to take off, the website atwonline.com has reported.

Spanair S.A.,  based in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, is a subsidiary of Scandinavian Airlines Systems that provides a scheduled passenger network within Spain and Europe, with an extension to West Africa. Its main base is Son Sant Joan Airport, with hubs at Barajas International Airport, Madrid and El Prat International Airport, Barcelona. Spanair also flies worldwide charters for tour companies.

According to the Spanish newspaper El Pais, an airport video of the failed takeoff and crash being studied by investigators shows that the plane took off about 500 metres farther down the runway than it should have. And, this hints at he possibility that the MD-82 plane did not have adequate thrust when it reached the spot normally marked for takeoff.

After lifting off, the plane almost immediately banked to the right and then crashed back down onto the runway. Investigators are said to be trying to determine if there was a problem with the flaps that prevented a level ascent, El Pais reported.

One of the 18 survivors, a woman, had told reporters: “The aircraft seemed to be going very slowly as it moved down the runway. Just after lifting off, it made a turn, as if the wing dropped abruptly. We were still very low, very close to the ground.”

Meanwhile, the government of Spain has defended its air safety regulations following the crash of the Spanair’s plane.

Manuel Batista, director-general of Spain’s Civil Aviation, told a press conference in Madrid the other day: “Spanair has a strong safety record and has passed all inspections of its maintenance program conducted by the government this year. We have not detected any problem that affects safety or a link with cost-cutting policies.”