Air NZ slams 'speculative' comments made over Airbus crash

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Air New Zealand has hit out at an aviation safety specialist's interpretation of what went on before an Airbus A320 crashed into the Mediterranean off France in 2008, calling his comments "speculative and baseless".

A report prepared for a French judicial inquiry found the Air New Zealand plane lost control and crashed, killing the two German pilots and five New Zealanders on board, as the crew tried to perform a low-speed test "in inappropriate conditions".

The report essentially agreed with the findings of an interim report by Paris-based Bureau d'Enquetes et d'Analyses (BEA), which found the plane stalled during a low-speed, low-altitude test manoeuvre as it was coming in to land at Perpignan airport.

Aviation safety specialist David Learmount, from the FlightGlobal website, said the interim report laid out the facts but left "loads of questions unanswered".

Air New Zealand crew in the cockpit encouraged the German pilots to carry out a low-speed test after air traffic controllers denied a request to carry out the test at higher altitude, he said.

Those on board were frustrated they had not been able to complete testing, and he felt Air New Zealand crew pushed for tests that contributed to the crash, he said.

"The vast majority of what happened here was to do with human frustration at not being able to get a job done, trying to get it done at a lower altitude than they should have done, and then getting into trouble," he told Radio New Zealand.

Air New Zealand told NZPA said it was "irresponsible" of Mr Learmount "to make speculative and baseless claims about what he thinks may have taken place in the cockpit of the A320 in November 2008".

Voice data showed there had been discussion about the low speed check well before the German pilot begun the test at his own initiative, the airline said.

"To suggest the Air New Zealand crew "encouraged" this in an environment of frustration is simply misleading."

Only one Air New Zealand staff member was in the cockpit, and he was fulfilling an observation role only, the airline said.

Frustration among the pilots was not reflected in the BEA report, or on the partial transcript of the voice data recorder, it said.

"Air New Zealand would encourage Mr Learmount to wait until the final judicial and BEA reports are completed before commenting on what may have caused the accident. His speculation is irresponsible and shows a lack of respect to those affected by the tragedy."

Airline chief executive Rob Fyfe and operations and safety general manager Captain David Morgan were briefed on the judicial investigation in a confidential meeting in France yesterday.

The New Zealanders killed in the crash were Air New Zealand pilot Brian Horrell, 52, Air New Zealand engineers Murray White, 37, Michael Gyles, 49, and Noel Marsh, 35, and Civil Aviation Authority official Jeremy Cook, 58.

The bodies were recovered from the crash scene.

French prosecutor Domnique Alzeari told reporters in Perpignan that his office had no plans to indict anyone in the manslaughter investigation that was opened in the wake of the crash.

The plane had gone to France for tests and to be repainted before heading to Germany, from where it was scheduled to leave for New Zealand.

Mr Alzeari noted that families of the victims or other parties had three months in which to request alternative expert opinions on the causes of the crash.

An examining judge and lawyers for various parties involved will now study the experts' report and any further expert opinion that may be submitted.

Built in 2005, the plane had been leased to German charter firm XL Airways since 2006. It had been undergoing servicing at EAS Industries in Perpignan and had been flying test circuits before it crashed.

- NZPA