Chain Of Events Conspired To Cause Accident

Aviation experts tell us that a plane crash is almost never due to just one single cause, but rather a series of mistakes that add up until the accident is inevitable. That is essentially the conclusion reached by a just-released Greek Board of Inquiry in last year's bizarre loss of a Helios Airways 737-300 flying from Cyprus that killed 121 people.

It was quickly established shortly after the accident that somehow, the pilots were incapacitated due to a lack of oxygen at high altitude. The pressurization system regulating the flow of oxygen in the cabin decreased as the aircraft gained altitude, and the pilots and passengers were rendered unconscious.

The airplane flew on autopilot for two more hours. Greek fighters were scrambled to intercept the airliner but were powerless to help as the plane eventually ran out of fuel over Greece and crashed.

What the report makes clear is that a series of human errors on the ground added to pilot errors in the air and caused the deadly accident.

The report blames deficient technical checks made by Helios Airways before the plane ever took off, cites Boeing for not addressing previously reported pressurization problems in other 737s, and follows with the failure of the pilots to take quick action when it appeared the oxygen pressurization system was defective.

The chain of events eventually conspired to cause the death of 121 people.

As Aero-News has reported, the Cypriot aviation industry is in danger of being denied landing rights in Europe because of deficient airworthiness standards that still have not been corrected.

As for Helios... the Cyprus-based airline has since changed its name to Ajet.

FMI: www.ajet.com