Flaps Failed on Doomed Spanair Jet: Report

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Probe Finds Flap Failure on Doomed Madrid Jet

By Daniel Woolls, Associated Press Writer
posted: 16 September 2008 01:41 pm ET

MADRID, Spain (AP) — Wing flaps that help lift a plane on takeoff failed on the Spanair flight that crashed last month and an alarm to warn pilots of the problem never sounded, according to an initial report Tuesday on the accident that killed 154 people.

The investigators did not say whether they believe the flap problem caused the Aug. 20 crash that killed all but 18 aboard the MD-82. They offered no theory on what triggered Spain's worst air disaster in 25 years.

Investigators also said they needed to further study a malfunction of an air temperature gauge outside the cockpit, which forced the pilot to abandon a first attempt at takeoff just before the crash. Spanair has described it as a minor glitch that was resolved by turning off the gauge because it was not essential equipment. [Full Article]

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