F-GZCP - 1st June 2009
11
ORGANISATION OF THE INVESTIGATION
On Monday 1st June 2009 at around 7 h 45, the BEA was alerted by the Air France
Operations Coordination Centre, which had received no news from flight AF447
between Rio de Janeiro Galeão (Brazil) and Paris Charles de Gaulle. After having
established without doubt that the airplane had disappeared in international
waters and in accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention on International
Civil Aviation and to the French Civil Aviation Code (Book VII), the BEA launched
a technical investigation and a team was formed to conduct it.
In accordance with the provisions of Annex 13, Brazilian, American, British and
German accredited representatives were associated with the investigation as
the State of the engine manufacturer (NTSB) and because they were able to
supply essential information to the investigation (CENIPA, AAIB and BFU). The
following countries also nominated observers as some of their citizens were
among the dead:
China,
Croatia,
Hungary,
Ireland,
Italy,
Korea,
Lebanon,
Morocco,
Norway,
Russia,
South Africa,
Switzerland.
The Investigator-in-Charge initially set up four working groups to determine
and gather the information required for the investigation in the following
areas:
Sea searches,
Maintenance,
Operations,
Systems and equipment.
Investigation teams were also sent to Brazil, Senegal and to sea, in the area
where the airplane disappeared.
All of the operations that have been undertaken on the site or on the
airplane parts have been coordinated with those responsible for the judicial
investigation.
F-GZCP - 1st June 2009
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1. FACTUAL INFORMATION
1.1 History of Flight
On Sunday 31 May 2009, the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP operated by
Air France was programmed to perform scheduled flight AF447 between Rio
de Janeiro Galeão and Paris Charles de Gaulle. Twelve crew members (3 flight
crew, 9 cabin crew) and 216 passengers were on board. The departure was
planned for 22 h 00.
Towards 22 h 10, the crew was cleared to start up engines and leave its parking
position. Takeoff took place at 22 h 29.
The takeoff weight was 232.8 t (for a MTOW of 233 t), including 70.4 t of fuel.
The crew contacted, successively:
RIO DE JANEIRO approach control,
the CURITIBA ATC centre, which cleared it to climb to FL350 at 22 h 45 min 26,
the BRASILIA ATC centre at 22 h 55 min 41,
the RECIFE ATC centre at 23 h 19 min 27, the airplane being stable at FL350,
the ATLANTICO ATC centre on HF at 1 h 33 min 25.
At 1 h 35 min 15, the crew informed the ATLANTICO controller that they had
passed the INTOL(2) point then announced the following estimated times:
SALPU at 1 h 48 then ORARO at 2 h 00. They also transmitted their SELCAL
code and a test was performed.
At 1 h 35 min 46, the controller asked them to maintain FL350 and to give their
estimated time at the TASIL point.
Between 1 h 35 min 53 and 1 h 36 min 14, the controller asked the crew three
times for its estimated time at the TASIL point. There was no further contact
with the crew.
(2)INTOL, SALPU,
ORARO and TASIL
are civil aviation
reporting points.
F-GZCP - 1st June 2009
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1.2 Killed and Injured
Injuries Crew Members Passengers Others
Fatal 12 216(3) 0
Serious 0 0 0
Light/none 0 0 0
1.3 Damage to Aircraft
Between 6 and 20 June 2009, numerous airplane parts were recovered from
the sea.
1.4 Other Damage
Not applicable.
1.5 Personnel Information
Given the length of the planned flight and in compliance with the Air France
operations manual and with the regulations in force, the flight crew was
reinforced.
The regulation defines reinforced crew as follows:
Flight crew where the number of members is greater than the minimum
number required for the operation of the airplane and within which each
member of the flight crew is able to leave his or her station and be replaced
by another member of the flight crew with the appropriate qualification(4).
The airline’s procedures(5) specify that to be a replacement duty pilot, a crew
member must have the same rating as the crew member that he or she is
replacing and, in addition, during the captain’s rest period, a pilot with the
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本文链接地址：Interim report on the accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbu(3)
