Investigators: FDR Destroyed In Dana Air Accident

Investigators probing the June 3 crash of Dana Air Flight 992 delivered some discouraging news in an interim report released Friday:

The solid state based memory in the CVR was in good condition and retained 31 minutes of audio information. The digital tape based memory in the FDR succumbed to the post crash fire and melted, consequently no data could be recovered. (Emphasis added.)

The CVR's information starts as the aircraft is approaching Lagos Muhammed Murtala Airport (LOS) on its fourth flight segment of the day. The captain and first officer are discussing a "non-normal condition" concerning the "correlation" between the MD-83's throttle setting and engine power indication/engine pressure ratio. Investigators underscored that the crew did not initially express concern that the problem would "affect the continuation of the flight."

Just seven minutes later, as the plane began its initial descent, the crew's words indicate they were becoming "increasingly concerned" about the engine readings, investigators said. The crew continued the approach, deploying slats, extending flaps, and dropping the landing gear. At 1542 local time--or about 27 minutes into the CVR recording--the crew declares an emergency, citing a "dual engine failure...negative response from throttle." About a minute later, the captain told the first officer that he'd lost both engines. The preliminary report continues:

During the next 25 seconds until the end of the CVR recording, the flight crew was attempting to restart the engines. The airplane crashed in a residential area about 5.8 miles north of LOS.

The wreckage was "approximately" on the extended centerline of Runway 18R. All 153 people on the aircraft were killed, as were 10 on the ground.

A direct link to the interim report is here (.pdf).

Tags: om99, safety, accident