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Investigations after plane crash: no black box, no emergency call
Photo: Ennio Leanza / dpa
The crash of an airplane in the Swiss Alps with 20 deaths is mainly due to the behavior of the pilots.
This emerges from the final report of the safety investigation body (Sust).
It is said that various factors led to the accident.
But the Sust cites a “high-risk flight control” as the “direct cause”.
The around 80-year-old Junkers Ju-52 machine, popularly known as "Tante Ju", crashed on August 4, 2018 in the canton of Graubünden in a hiking area at an altitude of more than 2500 meters.
There were no survivors.
The machine belonged to Ju-Air, which runs an association of flight enthusiasts.
He offered sightseeing flights and short trips.
The passengers were on their return flight from Locarno to Zurich.
The experienced pilots, aged 62 and 63, flew the machine into a narrow valley at low altitude and dangerously low speed, according to the report.
When the plane got into turbulence, they lost control.
Risks not recognized
But other problems also contributed to the accident: Ju-Air pilots broke rules for safe flight operations more often and took high risks when flying with passengers, according to the report.
The operating association did not recognize the risks and the Federal Office of Civil Aviation as the supervisory authority overlooked many security problems.
The club received a flight ban in November 2018.
The Ministry of Transport ordered a review of the Federal Office's activities last year.
According to its own information, the association wants to learn from the final report and resume flight operations in 2023, it said in a message.
The selection, training and control of pilots will be improved.
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jpz / dpa