From: psycho@makalu.Stanford.EDU (Mr. Knotty Sycho)
Subject: Snag in flaps may have caused Thai airliner crash in Nepal
Keywords: international, non-usa government, government, aviation problems,
        trouble
Organization: Peace and Freedom Institute, Stanford University
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 92 21:18:23 GMT

Note: (complete writethru -- thai airways says report ``premature'')


	KATMANDU, Nepal (UPI) -- A failure in the operation of flaps during
the approach to Katmandu airport may have caused the Thai Airways Airbus
crash that killed 113 people in Nepal's worst aviation disaster, a
preliminary report said Friday.
	A nine-member investigation commission, headed by Chief Attorney Prem
Bahadur Bista, released its preliminary findings based on analysis of
the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder.
	However, a senior Thai Airways official, apparently reacting to
report, said later Friday it is ``premature'' to speculate on the cause
of the crash.
	The main investigation commission is assisted by five technical
subcommittees supported by experts from the International Civil Aviation
Organization.
	French and Thai government representatives have also been included in
the main commission.
	``It appears that flight 311 from Bangkok to Katmandu was proceeding
normally until the pilots attempted to make the required flap selection,
prior to landing at Katmandu,'' the report said.
	``The FDR and CVR indicated that a fault was encountered,'' it said.
``The crew did succeed in lowering the flaps, but they realized that
they were too close to the airport to complete the approach.''
	The airport at 4,500 feet is surrounded by hills and is situated in a
valley with an area of approximately 55 square miles, and it is the only
airport servicing the Nepalese capital.
	The aircraft was attempting to land on July 31 in rainy and overcast
conditions.
	``The crew asked for, and received a clearance to return toward the
southwest to recommence the approach,'' the report said.
	``The flaps were retracted and the aircraft was turned to the right,
but the turn continued past a southerly direction and the aircraft
stopped its turn when heading north again.''
	The French-made aircraft then hit 11,500-foot Mount Ghyangphedi about
20 miles northwest of the capital, strewing human remains and wreckage
over a radius of three miles.
	The release did not say what caused the aircraft to turn dangerously
to the north into the mountains. Had the aircraft proceeded further
south it would have been over the flatlands of Nepal and northern India.
	``The aircraft continued in a northerly direction and the crew
received a 'terrain' and 'pull up' warning from the aircraft's ground
proximity warning system,'' the report said. ``It appears that the crew
had just initiated a climb when the aircraft hit the mountain.''
	The latest laboratory analysis confirmed earlier reports of Civil
Aviation that pilots of the Thai airlilner reported a technical fault
but no distress signals were sent out.
	``The commission is making substantial progress, as anticipated, in
the task of finding out the cause of the accident of the Airbus,'' the
release said.
	However, Thai Airways Executive Vice President Capt. Udom Krisnampok,
head of the airline's Technical and Operations Department, said ``the
investigation is still in progress and no official report has yet been
made. Therefore, it is premature to speculate on the cause of the
accident at this stage.''
	Capt. Udom said in a statement released in Bangkok the transcript of
the cockpit voice recorder is in the Thai language ``and must be
translated by a technically trained Thai expert.''
	Two senior Thai Airways officials ``are in Ottawa to assist in this
procedure,'' he said.
	``Once the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder
printouts are available, they must be presented to the commission in
Nepal for further study, after which the commission will make a public
finding.''