After the shock come the investigations. On Monday, 20th October, around 10 o’clock late evening (Paris time), the Falcon 50 jet, carrying the CEO of Total, crashed at Vnukovo Airport, one of Moscow’s three international airports (see the amateur video above).
During take-off, the ‘plane struck a snow removal vehicle on the runway. The aircraft pilot then sent a distress signal and turned around to attempt an emergency landing, but the aircraft crashed on the tarmac, killing the four people onboard: Christophe de Margerie, 63 years old, and three crew members.
Four investigations have been opened
Two investigations concerning the circumstances of the accident have already been opened in Russia : one by the Interstate Aviation Committee, which investigates all air crashes in Russia. The other by the Russian Federal Air Transport Agency.
In France, the Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA), today announced that it would send three investigators to Moscow. The Paris prosecutor's office has also announced the opening of an investigation for "involuntary homicide".
Vehicles on runways : a major cause of accidents
Although it is still too early to say whether the driver of the vehicle was intoxicated, it is unclear how the vehicle on the runway could not be identified before take-off. The poor visibility on the ground of 350 metres (380 yards), could be an aggravating factor since neither the pilot nor the control tower had a clear view of the 3 km (almost 10,000 ft.) long runway, however, an airliner or a business jet can theoretically take-off with even less visibility; could negligence of the airport therefore perhaps be the cause ?
Was the clearance for take-off given by the air traffic control to the Falcon’s crew, correctly understood ? Clearly many questions arise, which the investigators must now resolve, in relying, in particular, on the recordings of the conversations between the control tower and the aircraft.
According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the incidents related to the presence of vehicles on runways are a major cause of accidents.
