Although Air France CEO Gourgeon said last month there’s no evidence that the crash was caused by the Pitot tubes, which were made by Thales SA. Bouillard also said last year that speed-sensor failure couldn’t alone explain the crash, and that aviation records in Europe and the U.S. document dozens of incidents where the probes failed and pilots retained control.
Air France and Airbus have been charged with manslaughter over the accident
In our opinion, we believe the failure of the pitot tubes played to the weakness of the Airbus fly by wire logic system. We believe that the fly by wire system received a barrage of false data put out by the frozen tubes, and shut down, taking control of the plane from the pilots. Faulty computer logic does not excuse faulty pitot tubes,
This is conjecture on our part, but we will not be surprised if/when the black boxes are recovered, that they will reveal what happened, if they are still readable.
Finnair flight AY-69 had to return and make an emergency landing in Helsinki, Finland, on September 24th.
