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Russian Report on Polish Crash

This document is an English translation of the Final Report on the accident on 10 April 2010, on Smolensk “Severny” airdrome, to the Tupolev Tu-154M tail number 101 of the Republic of Poland. The translation was done as accurate as the translation may be to facilitate the understanding of the Final Report for non-Russian speaking people. The use of this translation for any purpose other than for the prevention of future accidents could lead to erroneous interpretations.
In case of any difference or misunderstanding the original text in Russian is the work of reference.

Download here:
INTERSTATE AVIATION COMMITTEE AIR ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION COMMISSION
FINAL REPORT.pdf

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    NTSB TO MEET ON 2008 CONTINENTAL AIRLINES FLIGHT 1404 ACCIDENT AT DENVER AIRPORT

    National Transportation Safety Board
    Washington, DC 20594

    July 8, 2010

    The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a Board meeting on Tuesday, July 13, 2010, at 9:30 a.m. in its Board Room and Conference Center, 429 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W., Washington, D.C. There is one item on the agenda.

    On December 20, 2008, Continental Airlines flight 1404 departed the left side of runway 34R at Denver International Airport during takeoff. There was a post-crash fire. The captain and five of the 110 passengers were seriously injured.

    A live and archived webcast of the proceedings will be available on the Board’s website at http://www.ntsb.gov/events/Boardmeeting.htm.

    Technical support details are available under “Board Meetings” on the NTSB website. To report any problems, please call 703-993- 3100 and ask for Webcast Technical Support.

    A summary of the Board’s final report, which will include findings, probable cause, and safety recommendations, will appear on the website shortly after the conclusion of the meeting. The entire report will appear on the website several weeks later.

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    ENHANCING SAFETY, EFFICIENCY AND REDUCing AIRCRAFT EMISSIONS Over Florida

    ORLANDO, Fl. – Acting Federal Aviation Administrator Michael Huerta today announced a collaborative NextGen effort that will increase safety and efficiency while reducing aircraft emissions for the passengers, air traffic controllers and airlines flying into and out of many of Florida’s major airports.

    The announcement was made at JetBlue University, the carrier’s training center, where simulators demonstrated examples of NextGen procedures and routes. CEO and president of JetBlue Airways Dave Barger joined Acting Administrator Huerta for the announcement, and is chair of the NextGen Advisory Committee, an industry advisory group that works with the FAA as part of NextGen.

    “The NextGen Metroplex initiative demonstrates the progress that can be made when the public and private sectors collaborate to deliver benefits for the flying public, the aviation community and the national economy,” said Huerta. “We’re excited about the improvements NextGen is bringing to Florida. The end result for travelers will be fewer delays, quicker flights and an even safer, greener flying experience.”

    As part of the FAA’s NextGen modernization program, the Metroplex initiative will improve the flow of air traffic into and out of airports in the Miami, Orlando and Tampa metropolitan areas. A metroplex is a region with several airports serving major metropolitan areas where heavy airport activity and environmental constraints combine to hinder the efficient movement of air traffic. Metroplex initiatives are underway or planned in numerous metropolitan areas across the country and will help airlines improve on-time performance and reduce emissions generated by aircraft.

    The Metroplex initiative is based on satellite navigation, which the FAA calls Performance-Based Navigation (PBN), also a key component of NextGen. PBN enables pilots to fly aircraft using satellite coverage or by utilizing the on-board flight management system.

    PBN allows shorter, more direct routes that reduce flight time and fuel consumption, and result in fewer carbon emissions.

    “As the largest domestic airline based in New York, the busiest airspace in the world, JetBlue will continue to take an active leadership role in advancing the next generation of airspace management in partnership with the FAA,” said Dave Barger, CEO and president of JetBlue Airways. “These new procedures will increase traffic flow predictability while reducing our environmental impact, allowing us to provide more efficient travel for customers.”

    The FAA estimates that more direct routings and more efficient aircraft descents into the Florida Metroplex will save eight million gallons of fuel annually, which equates to a reduction in carbon emissions by nearly 80,000 metric tons and an estimated $23.0 million saved in fuel costs. In addition, the FAA estimates that 5.4 million fewer nautical miles will be flown in and out of Florida based on current flight plan miles filed.
    This collaborative partnership includes the FAA, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, US Airways, NetJets and other aviation stakeholders including business and general aviation interests. The Florida Metroplex study area includes six airports: Orlando International, Tampa, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Fort Myers. Satellite airports, including Boca Raton, Daytona Beach, Kissimmee, Marco Island, Naples, Orlando Executive, Orlando Sanford, Sarasota Bradenton and Stuart (Witham Field), are also part of this NextGen initiative.

    The Florida Metroplex work teams will explore and develop proposed strategies to streamline airspace to help reduce airspace complexity for air traffic controllers and flight crews. The strategies include:

    • Creating separate flight tracks for departures and arrivals to allow aircraft to climb and descend more efficiently.
    • Expanding the development of Optimized Profile Descent (OPD) procedures into the airports. OPDs allow pilots to almost idle the engines while the aircraft descends, using the on-board Flight Management System to fly a continuous, descending path without leveling off. OPDs reduce fuel consumption, carbon emissions and noise.
    • Shortening flight tracks by making them more direct.
    • Designing new satellite-based procedures for reliever airports.
    • Developing routes that will enable general aviation traffic to fly more efficient routes through congested airspace.

    NextGen is the transformation of the radar-based air traffic control system of today to a satellite-based system of the future. New procedures and technologies will significantly improve safety, capacity and efficiency and will reduce fuel burn, carbon emissions and environmental impacts.

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    Boeing AH-64D Apache Block III Structures Test Aircraft Makes 1st Flight

    MESA, Ariz., Dec. 4, 2009 — The Boeing [NYSE: BA] AH-64D Apache Block III program has completed the first flight of its structures test aircraft. The test, conducted Nov. 23 in Mesa, demonstrated flight characteristics and handling maneuvers. Tests to continue to expand the helicopter’s flight envelope are expected to continue for the next several weeks.

    Block III technologies being tested include the composite main rotor blade, composite horizontal stabilator, and -701D engines, which include an enhanced digital electronic control unit. The aircraft also features a split-torque face gear transmission that increases power throughput by more than 20 percent within the same physical operating space as the legacy transmission.

    “This flight demonstration is another crucial step as the U.S. Army and Boeing work together to meet the objectives of the Apache Block III program,” said Col. Shane Openshaw, Army Apache project manager. “The Apache Block III helicopter meets the Army’s requirement to sustain the aircraft for its life cycle while providing superior capabilities to Army aviators, battlefield commanders and soldiers.”

    The program’s avionics test aircraft, which made its first flight ahead of schedule in June 2008, completed the Army’s Limited User Test according to schedule, in November, at the Yuma (Ariz.) Proving Ground.

    “Meeting calendar objectives while integrating new capabilities confirms the maturity of the multiple technologies conceived, designed and developed by Boeing and our key partners for the Apache Block III helicopter,” said Al Winn, Boeing Apache Programs vice president. “Our success highlights the value of cooperative development.”

    The Army and Boeing continue to work toward an anticipated Department of Defense acquisition process Milestone C decision in April 2010.

    A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world’s largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.
    ###
    A related photo will be available soon at boeing.mediaroom.com.
    Contact:
    Carole Thompson
    Boeing Rotorcraft Communications
    Office: 480-891-2119
    Mobile: 602-741-4802
    carole.j.thompson-sutton@boeing.com

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    NTSB TO HOLD SYMPOSIUM ON AIRLINE CODE-SHARING ARRANGEMENTS AND THEIR ROLE IN AVIATION SAFETY

    National Transportation Safety Board
    Washington, DC 20594
    August 16, 2010

    The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a two-day symposium on the role that airline code-sharing arrangements play in aviation safety. The event, chaired by NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman, will be held on October 26-27, 2010, in Washington, DC.

    Code-sharing is a marketing arrangement in which one airline places its designator code on a flight operated by another airline, then sells and issues tickets for that flight.

    Recent NTSB investigations of accident flights operated under code-sharing arrangements include the February 2009 accident near Buffalo, New York, in which a Colgan Air flight was operated as Continental Connection; a 2007 accident in Traverse City, Michigan, in which a Pinnacle Airlines flight was operated as Northwest Airlink; a 2007 accident in Cleveland, Ohio, in which a Shuttle America flight was operated as Delta Connection; and a 2006 accident in Lexington, Kentucky, in which a Comair flight was operated as Delta Connection.

    Today, most airlines participate in some type of code- sharing arrangement, either with domestic or international partners. More than half of passenger enplanements in the U.S. this year are on regional airlines, almost all of which are involved in code-sharing arrangements.

    “In the past twenty years, code-sharing arrangements have so proliferated within commercial aviation that today the vast majority of airlines are involved in what are often complex business and operational arrangements.” said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. “We have investigated many accidents in which passengers bought tickets on a major carrier and flew all or part of their trip on a different carrier – one that may have been operating to different safety standards than the carrier that issued the ticket. While all carriers are required to meet minimum standards, a clearer picture and deeper understanding of the best safety practices for code-sharing arrangements are the goals of this symposium.”

    The symposium will be organized to elicit information on the following three issue areas: (1) structures, practices, and oversight of domestic and international code-sharing arrangements; (2) best practices regarding the sharing of safety information between airlines and their code-sharing partners; and (3) the role that a major airline would have in the family disaster assistance response for an accident involving a code-sharing partner.

    These areas will be explored through presentations from major and regional airlines, industry organizations, and representatives of the traveling public.

    The symposium, “Airline Code-Sharing Arrangements and Their Role in Aviation Safety” will be held at the NTSB Board Room and Conference Center, located at 429 L’Enfant Plaza, S.W., Washington, DC. A detailed agenda will be released closer to the date of the event.

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    Airline Passengers Benefit as Flight Attendants Gain Ground on Sanitation and Temperature Standards

    Flight Attendants Get Cabin Health and Safety Standards in Senate’s FAA Reauthorization

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 18, 2011 e-USNewswire/ — Members of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) put key U.S. Senate offices on speed dial in a successful call-in campaign to press for long-overdue health and safety protections: Yesterday, the Senate defeated an attempt to strip OSHA protections for Flight Attendants from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Bill. The amendment to remove health and safety protections for Flight Attendants and passengers, including sanitation and temperature standards in the aircraft cabin, was rejected by a 52-47 party line vote.

    “No sanitation standards in the passenger cabin. Really???” said Veda Shook, AFA International President. “It is not funny. To date, OSHA has been kept out of the aircraft cabin and that means Flight Attendants and passengers are subject to an environment absent sanitation standards, temperature standards and proper procedures for clean up of biohazards. This is inexcusable and our union of Flight Attendants will not rest until we get the OSHA protections for passengers and crew. We applaud the Senate for taking this action today and we implore the House to act quickly to include the same provision in their version of the bill.”

    For Flight Attendants, each day on the job brings potential exposure to turbulence, severe air pressure changes, unwieldy service carts, broken luggage bins, balky exit doors and door handles, exposure to toxic chemicals, unruly passengers, communicable diseases, and emergency evacuations. As a result, safety and health violations occur on a daily basis for Flight Attendants yet the Federal Aviation Administration, which claims exclusive jurisdiction over the safety and health of crew members on civil aircraft, has failed to extend basic OSHA protections afforded to other workers across the country.

    The Association of Flight Attendants has already begun a targeted grassroots advocacy campaign to implore members of the House to include the health and safety provisions for Flight Attendants and passengers. The FAA Reauthorization bill has been extended 17 times over three years, delaying critical safety and health protections for Flight Attendants and the traveling public

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  • NTSB Press Release: Pilot’s Failure to Maintain Altitude caused Maryland State Police Helicopter Crash in Maryland

    Washington, DC – The National Transportation Safety Board today determined that the probable cause of the crash of a Maryland State Police (MSP) helicopter emergency medical services flight was the pilot’s attempt to regain visual conditions by performing a rapid descent and his failure to arrest the descent at the minimum descent altitude during a nonprecision approach.

    On September 27, 2008, an Aerospatiale (Eurocopter), call sign Trooper 2 (N92MD), registered to and operated by the MSP as a public medical evacuation (medevac) flight, impacted terrain in District Heights, Maryland while on approach to Andrews Air Force Base (ADW). The pilot, one flight paramedic, one field provider, and one of two automobile accident patients being transported were killed. The other patient being transported survived with serious injuries from the helicopter accident and was taken to a local hospital.

    The Board found that the pilot failed to adhere to instrument approach procedures when he did not prevent the helicopter’s descent at the MDA. The flight was cleared for an instrument landing system (ILS) approach. After the initial call to the ADW tower, the pilot reported that he could not capture the glideslope and was on a localizer approach. The controller responded that her ILS equipment status display was indicating no anomalies with the equipment. Post accident tests confirmed no anomalies with the instrument approach equipment and testing of the helicopter’s navigation equipment did not find any deficiencies that would have precluded the pilot from capturing the glideslope.

    Furthermore, the Board concluded that although the descent rate and altitude information were readily available through cockpit instruments which the pilot had access to, he likely became preoccupied with looking for the ground, which he could not identify before impact because of the lack of external visual cues. Since there were no recorders on board the accident helicopter, the Safety Board could not determine why the pilot did not use other options available to conduct a safe landing in instrument conditions.

    Several contributing factors to the cause of the accident, the Board noted, were the pilot’s limited recent instrument flight experience, the lack of adherence to effective risk management procedures by the Maryland State Police, the pilot’s inadequate assessment of the weather, which led to his decision to accept the flight, the failure of the Potomac Consolidated Terminal Radar Approach Control (PCT) controller to provide the current Andrews Air Force Base weather observation to the pilot, and the increased workload on the pilot due to inadequate Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control handling by the Ronald Reagan National Airport Tower and PCT controllers.

    As a result of this accident investigation, the Safety Board issued recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration, the MSP, Prince George’s County, and all public Helicopter Emergency Medical Service operators regarding pilot performance and training, air traffic control deficiencies, patient transport decisions, emergency response and FAA oversight.

    A summary of the findings of the Board’s report will be available on the NTSB’s website at: http://www.ntsb.gov/events/Boardmeeting.htm

    -30-

    Media Contact: Keith Holloway (202) 314-6100
    hollowk@ntsb.gov

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