Air France Flight 447#2011 search
{{short description|2009 mid-Atlantic ocean aircraft accident}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox aircraft occurrence
| occurrence_type = Accident
| image = Wreckage of F-GZCP.jpg
| caption = The aircraft's vertical stabilizer being recovered from the Atlantic Ocean
| date = 1 June 2009
| summary = Crashed after stall caused by weather, inadequate training, airplane design and pilot error
| Site = South Atlantic Ocean near waypoint TASIL{{sfn|BEA first|2009}}{{rp|9}}
| plane1_image = PKIERZKOWSKI 070328 FGZCP CDG.jpg
| plane1_caption = F-GZCP, the aircraft involved in the accident, landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport in March 2007
| alt = A large white twin-engine passenger jet
| coordinates = {{coord|3|03|57|N|30|33|42|W|type:event|display =inline,title}}
| fatalities = 228
| operator = Air France
| aircraft_type = Airbus A330-203{{efn|The 2 in the suffix denotes that it was a -200 series variant of the A330; 03 denotes that it was equipped with General Electric CF6-80E1A3 engines.}}
| IATA = AF447
| ICAO = AFR447
| callsign = AIRFRANS 447
| tail_number = F-GZCP
| occupants = 228
| passengers = 216
| crew = 12
| survivors = 0
| origin = Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| destination = Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris, France
}}
Air France Flight 447 was a scheduled international passenger flight from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to Paris, France. On 1 June 2009, inconsistent airspeed indications and miscommunication led to the pilots inadvertently stalling the Airbus A330. They failed to recover the plane from the stall, and the plane crashed into the mid-Atlantic Ocean at 02:14 UTC, killing all 228 passengers and crew on board.
The Brazilian Navy recovered the first major wreckage and two bodies from the sea within five days of the accident, but the investigation by France's Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) was initially hampered because the aircraft's flight recorders were not recovered from the ocean floor until May 2011, nearly two years after the accident.{{cite news |date=12 May 2021 |title=Air France crash: Trial ordered for Airbus and airline over 2009 disaster |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-57084090 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512095049/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-57084090 |archive-date=12 May 2021 |access-date=12 May 2021 |work=BBC News}}
The BEA's final report, released at a press conference on 5 July 2012, concluded that the aircraft suffered temporary inconsistencies between the airspeed measurements—likely resulting from ice crystals obstructing the aircraft's pitot tubes—which caused the autopilot to disconnect. The crew reacted incorrectly to this, causing the aircraft to enter an aerodynamic stall which the pilots failed to correct.{{Reference page|page=79}}{{sfn|BEA third|2011}}{{Reference page|page=7}}{{cite news |last=Clark |first=Nicola |date=29 July 2011 |title=Report on Air France Crash Points to Pilot Training Issues |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/30/world/europe/air-france-flight-447-crash-report-july-2011.html |url-status=live |work=The New York Times |access-date=24 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170318180401/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/30/world/europe/air-france-flight-447-crash-report-july-2011.html |archive-date=18 March 2017 |issn=0362-4331}} The accident is the deadliest in the history of Air France, as well as the deadliest aviation accident involving the Airbus A330.
Aircraft
The aircraft involved was a four-year-old Airbus A330-203,{{efn|The 2 in the suffix denotes that it was a -200 series variant of the A330; 03 denotes that it was equipped with General Electric CF6-80E1A3 engines.}} with serial number 0660, registered as F-GZCP. It was delivered to the airline in April 2005.{{citation |title=Aviation civile |url=http://www.immat.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/immat/servlet/aeronef_detail.html?CTRL_ID=1366_d2a94c43&CTX=152Aa_nCnL3ZTMqDy0I4RTwpj00LpSW0HQc5sOIvrT6biBaXXSsXDON051zh1mnPWqGC00aO02cnlOMH6OMDqRt9900bqQ79bSsXlR6HuS3z00000000CTmW0000G00000NG01aHFKrz9H7Do015gONPXBcnXRcSkIMvqPMTbSXBYeAJtWOSu0W01IG05Tc5iTMLuSW0GQc5sOIviOMvdBavrRM9bSeQibHqBbE2B0W00U70007rEU000 |type=registration data |contribution=F-GZCP |publisher=The Government of France |language=fr |trans-title=Civil aviation |access-date=27 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720231823/http://www.immat.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/immat/servlet/aeronef_detail.html?CTRL_ID=1366_d2a94c43&CTX=152Aa_nCnL3ZTMqDy0I4RTwpj00LpSW0HQc5sOIvrT6biBaXXSsXDON051zh1mnPWqGC00aO02cnlOMH6OMDqRt9900bqQ79bSsXlR6HuS3z00000000CTmW0000G00000NG01aHFKrz9H7Do015gONPXBcnXRcSkIMvqPMTbSXBYeAJtWOSu0W01IG05Tc5iTMLuSW0GQc5sOIviOMvdBavrRM9bSeQibHqBbE2B0W00U70007rEU000 |archive-date=20 July 2011 |url-status=dead}} The aircraft was powered by two General Electric CF6-80E1A3 engines with a maximum thrust of {{convert|68,530|or|60,400|lbf|kN|abbr=on|order=flip}} (take-off/max continuous),{{cite web |url=http://easa.europa.eu/system/files/dfu/EASA-TCDS-A.004_Airbus_330-36-22112013.pdf|title=EASA Type Certificate Data Sheet for AIRBUS A330 |date=22 November 2013 |publisher=European Aviation Safety Agency |access-date=29 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303232729/http://easa.europa.eu/system/files/dfu/EASA-TCDS-A.004_Airbus_330-36-22112013.pdf |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=live }} p. 18 sec. 1.2.1 giving it a cruise speed range of Mach {{convert|0.82|to|0.86|Mach|kn kph mph|altitude_ft=35000|sigfig=2}}, at {{convert|35,000|ft|m}} of altitude and a range of {{convert|12,500|km|nmi mi|abbr=on}}. The aircraft underwent a major overhaul on 16 April 2009, and at the time of the accident had accumulated about 18,870 flying hours.{{cite web |url=http://www.jacdec.de/info/AF447Special/jacdec_special_report_AF447.htm |title=JACDEC Special accident report Air France Flight 447 |publisher=Jet Airliner Crash Data Evaluation Centre |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605173016/http://www.jacdec.de/info/AF447Special/jacdec_special_report_AF447.htm |archive-date=5 June 2009 |url-status=dead |access-date=23 October 2011}}
Passengers and crew
File:Guiché Air France- Galeão.jpg
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin-left:2em; font-size:85%; width: 36em;"
|+Final tally of passenger nationalities
! Total !! 216 !! 12 !! 228
| colspan="4" style="text-align:left;" | Notes:
- Nationalities shown are as stated by Air France on 1 June 2009.{{cite press release |title=Press release N° 5 |date=1 June 2009 |publisher=Air France |url=http://alphasite.airfrance.com/en/s01/press-releases/#communique2546 |access-date=8 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110104175009/http://alphasite.airfrance.com/en/s01/press-releases/ |archive-date=4 January 2011}}
- Attributing nationality was complicated by the holding of multiple citizenship by several passengers.
- Passengers who had citizenship in one country but were attributed to another country by Air France are indicated with parentheses ().
The aircraft was carrying 216 passengers, 3 aircrew, and 9 cabin crew in two cabins of service.{{cite web|last=Ranter|first=Harro|title=Accident description F-GZCP|url=http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20090601-0|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016004018/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=20090601-0|archive-date=16 October 2011|access-date=23 October 2011|website=Aviation Safety Network|publisher=Flight Safety Foundation}}{{cite news |last1=Naughton |first1=Philippe |last2=Bremner |first2=Charles |title=Air France jet with 215 people on board 'drops off radar' |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6404837.ece |work=The Times |location=London |date=1 June 2009 |access-date=1 June 2009 |archive-date=17 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200617221522/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |date=1 June 2009 |title=Air France statement on crashed airliner in the Atlantic |work=BNO News |url=http://www.bnonews.com/news/343.html|url-status=dead|access-date=1 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090607091419/http://www.bnonews.com/news/343.html|archive-date=7 June 2009}} Among the 216 passengers were 126 men, 82 women and 8 children (including 1 infant).
There were three pilots on the flight:{{Reference page|pages=24–29}}
- The pilot in command, 58-year-old Captain Marc Dubois (pilot not flying, PNF){{Reference page|page=21}} had joined Air France in February 1988 from rival French domestic carrier Air Inter (which later merged into Air France),{{cite news |title=Captain of Air France Flight 447 was son of pilot |url=https://www.deseret.com/2009/6/3/20321466/captain-of-air-france-flight-447-was-son-of-pilot |work=Deseret News |agency=Associated Press |date=2009-06-03 |access-date=2020-05-01 |archive-date=26 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226163357/https://www.deseret.com/2009/6/3/20321466/captain-of-air-france-flight-447-was-son-of-pilot |url-status=live }} and had 10,988 flying hours, of which 6,258 were as captain, including 1,700 hours on the Airbus A330; he had carried out 16 rotations in the South America sector since arriving in the A330/A340 division in 2007.{{cite web |last=Faccini |first=Barbara |title=Four minutes, 23 seconds – Flight AF447 |url=http://understandingaf447.com/extras/18-4_minutes__23_seconds_EN.pdf |publisher=Volare Aviation Monthly |date=January 2013 |access-date=2020-05-01 |archive-date=30 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230031452/http://understandingaf447.com/extras/18-4_minutes__23_seconds_EN.pdf |url-status=live }}
- The cruise relief co-pilot in the left seat, 37-year-old First Officer David Robert (PNF) had joined Air France in July 1998 and had 6,547 flying hours, of which 4,479 hours were on the Airbus A330; he had carried out 39 rotations in the South America sector since arriving in the A330/A340 division in 2002. Robert had graduated from École nationale de l'aviation civile, one of the elite Grandes Écoles, and had transitioned from a pilot to a management job at the airline's operations center. He served as a pilot on the flight to maintain his flying credentials.
- The co-pilot in the right seat, 32-year-old First Officer Pierre-Cédric Bonin (pilot flying, PF) had joined Air France in October 2003 and had 2,936 flight hours, of which 807 hours were on the Airbus A330; he had carried out five rotations in the South America sector since arriving in the A330/A340 division in 2008. His wife Isabelle, a physics teacher, was also on board.{{cite web|url=https://www.hptinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Air-France-4472.pdf|title=What Really Happened Aboard Air France 447|website=hptinstitute.com|publisher=Human Performance Training Institute Inc.|access-date=12 November 2019|archive-date=31 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031013107/https://www.hptinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Air-France-4472.pdf|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://harrisonjones.org/2012/10/22/today-may-be-all-we-have/|title=Today may be all we have|date=22 October 2012|website=harrisonjones |access-date=12 November 2019}}{{citation|title=Inside cockpit Af447| date=2 September 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM3CwBYX-ms|access-date=12 November 2019|archive-date=6 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106154949/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM3CwBYX-ms&gl=US&hl=en|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://calvininjax.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/flight-447-pilot-had-20-years-of-flying-for-air-france/|title=Flight 447 pilot had 20 years of flying for Air France|date=3 June 2009|website=Calvin Palmer's Weblog|access-date=12 November 2019|archive-date=1 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101030026/https://calvininjax.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/flight-447-pilot-had-20-years-of-flying-for-air-france/|url-status=live}}
There were 9 cabin crew members on the flight:
- Senior Purser Anne Grimout (49), 25 years' service, Purser Françoise Sonnic (54), 28 years' service, and Purser Maryline Messaud (45), 20 years' service.
- Flight Attendants Laurence Desmots (44), 18 years' service, Stéphanie Schoumacker (38), 13 years' service, Sébastien Vedovati (33), 11 years' service, Clara Amado (31), 8 years' service, Carole Guillaumont (31), 5 years' service, and Lucas Gagliano (23), 2 years' service.
Of the 12 crew members (including aircrew and cabin crew), 11 were French and 1 was Brazilian.{{cite news |title=List of passengers aboard lost Air France flight |date=4 June 2009 |work=Huffington Post |agency=Associated Press |location=USA}}
The majority of passengers were French, Brazilian, or German citizens.{{cite web|url=http://alphasite.airfrance.com/flight-air-france-447-rio-de-janeiro-paris-charles-de-gaulle/press-releases/?L=1|title=Air France Update|date=5 October 2009|work=Flight Air France 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris-Charles de Gaulle|publisher=Air France|access-date=8 January 2011|archive-date=22 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722002443/http://alphasite.airfrance.com/flight-air-france-447-rio-de-janeiro-paris-charles-de-gaulle/press-releases/?L=1|url-status=dead}}{{cite news |date=2 June 2009 |title=Ships head for area where airplane debris spotted |work=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/06/02/brazil.france.plane.missing/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=2 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606155453/http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/06/02/brazil.france.plane.missing/index.html |archive-date=6 June 2009}} The passengers included business and holiday travelers.{{cite news|last1=Chrisafis|first1=Angelique|last2=Phillips|first2=Tom|date=1 June 2009|title=Terminal said 'delayed' but the faces betrayed the truth|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jun/01/plane-crash-air-france-brazil|url-status=live|access-date=23 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510230014/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jun/01/plane-crash-air-france-brazil|archive-date=10 May 2017|issn=0261-3077}}
Air France established a crisis center{{cite news|last1=McNeil|first1=Donald G. Jr.|last2=Negroni|first2=Christine|date=1 June 2009|title=Search Is on for Wreckage of Missing Air France Jet|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/world/europe/02plane.html|access-date=12 November 2019|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=12 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191112174002/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/world/europe/02plane.html|url-status=live}} at Terminal 2D for the 60 to 70 relatives and friends who arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport to pick up arriving passengers, but many of the passengers on Flight 447 were connecting to other destinations worldwide. In the days that followed, Air France contacted close to 2,000 people who were related to, or friends of, the victims.{{cite web |url=http://alphasite.airfrance.com/en/s01/frequently-asked-questions/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006195754/http://alphasite.airfrance.com/en/s01/frequently-asked-questions/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 October 2009 |title=Frequently Asked Questions |publisher=Air France |date=9 July 2009 |quote=Our first priority was to organize the arrival of 60 to 70 relatives at Roissy. There were not more than this because many passengers were connecting passengers.}}
On 20 June 2009, Air France announced that each victim's family would be paid roughly €17,500 in initial compensation.{{cite news |date=2 June 2009 |title=Air France pays $24,500 to crash victims' families |work=CNN |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/06/20/france.brazil.crash/index.html |url-status=live |access-date=20 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621104415/http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/06/20/france.brazil.crash/index.html |archive-date=21 June 2009}}
=Notable passengers=
- Prince Pedro Luiz of Orléans-Braganza, third in succession to the abolished throne of Brazil and grandnephew of Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg.{{cite news|url=http://veja.abril.com.br/noticia/internacional/voo-447-air-france-ultimas-informacoes-474209.shtml|title=Voo Air France 447: últimas informações|date=1 June 2009|work=Veja|access-date=8 January 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605094834/http://veja.abril.com.br/noticia/internacional/voo-447-air-france-ultimas-informacoes-474209.shtml|archive-date=5 June 2009|publisher=Editora Abril|location=Brazil|language=pt|trans-title=Flight Air France 447: latest information}}{{cite news|url=http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/cotidiano/ult95u574808.shtml|title=Cotidiano – Família Orleans e Bragança confirma que príncipe brasileiro estava no voo AF 447|date=1 June 2009|work=Folha on line (Brazil)|access-date=8 January 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606124217/http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/cotidiano/ult95u574808.shtml|archive-date=6 June 2011|agency=Agência Brasil|language=pt|trans-title=Daily – Orleans and Braganza family confirms that Brazilian prince was on flight AF 447}} He had dual Brazilian–Belgian citizenship. He was returning home to Luxembourg from a visit to his relatives in Rio de Janeiro.{{cite news|url=http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=DMF20090602_002|title=Belgisch-Braziliaanse prins onder de slachtoffers|date=2 June 2009|access-date=2 June 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605053414/http://www.standaard.be/Artikel/Detail.aspx?artikelId=DMF20090602_002|archive-date=5 June 2009|publisher=Standaard.be|language=nl|trans-title=Belgian-Brazilian prince among the victims}}{{cite news |url=http://www.correiobraziliense.com.br/app/noticia/brasil/2009/06/02/interna_brasil,115339/ |title=Confira os nomes de 84 passageiros que estavam no voo AF 447 |date=2 June 2009 |work=Correio Braziliense |access-date=8 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706152505/http://www.correiobraziliense.com.br/app/noticia/brasil/2009/06/02/interna_brasil%2C115339/ |archive-date=6 July 2011 |url-status=dead |language=pt |trans-title=Confirmation of names of 84 passengers at AF 447}}
- Giambattista Lenzi, member of the Regional Council of Trentino-Alto Adige.{{Cite web |last=Trento |first=Redazione |date=2019-05-31 |title=10 anni fa la tragedia dell'Air France che costò la vita a Giovanni Battista Lenzi |trans-title=10 years ago the Air France tragedy that cost the life of Giovanni Battista Lenzi |url=https://www.lavocedeltrentino.it/2019/05/31/10-anni-fa-la-tragedia-dellair-france-che-costo-la-vita-a-giovanni-battista-lenzi/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190608051448/https://www.lavocedeltrentino.it/2019/05/31/10-anni-fa-la-tragedia-dellair-france-che-costo-la-vita-a-giovanni-battista-lenzi/ |archive-date=2019-06-08 |access-date=2023-11-25 |website=The voice of Trentino |language=it}}
- Silvio Barbato, composer and former conductor of the symphony orchestras of the Cláudio Santoro National Theater in Brasília and the Rio de Janeiro Municipal Theater; he was en route to Kyiv for engagements there.{{cite web|url=http://www.monitormercantil.com.br/mostranoticia.php?id=62278|title=Airbus: apólice de US$94 mi e seguro incalculável|date=1 June 2009|publisher=Monitor Mercantil|location=Sao Paulo|language=pt|trans-title=Airbus: $94m policy and incalculable insurance|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606124642/http://www.monitormercantil.com.br/mostranoticia.php?id=62278|archive-date=6 June 2009|access-date=2 June 2009}}{{cite news|url=http://oglobo.globo.com/mundo/acidente-voo-447/mat/2009/06/01/lista-nao-oficial-de-vitimas-do-voo-447-da-air-france-inclui-executivos-medicos-ate-um-membro-da-familia-orleans-braganca-756129683.asp|title=Lista não oficial de vítimas do voo 447 da Air France inclui executivos, médicos e até um membro da família Orleans e Bragança|date=1 June 2009|access-date=2 June 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614125639/http://oglobo.globo.com/mundo/acidente-voo-447/mat/2009/06/01/lista-nao-oficial-de-vitimas-do-voo-447-da-air-france-inclui-executivos-medicos-ate-um-membro-da-familia-orleans-braganca-756129683.asp|archive-date=14 June 2009|publisher=Globo|language=pt|trans-title=Unofficial list of Air France flight 447 victims includes executives, doctors and even a member of the Orleans and Braganza family}}
- Octavio Augusto Ceva Antunes, professor of chemistry and pharmaceutics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.{{Cite web |date=1 June 2009 |title=Professor da UFRJ está entre os passageiros do voo AF 447 |trans-title=UFRJ professor is among the passengers on flight AF 447 |url=https://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Mundo/0,,MUL1178699-5602,00-PROFESSOR+DA+UFRJ+ESTA+ENTRE+OS+PASSAGEIROS+DO+VOO+AF.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927012057/http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Mundo/0,,MUL1178699-5602,00-PROFESSOR+DA+UFRJ+ESTA+ENTRE+OS+PASSAGEIROS+DO+VOO+AF.html |archive-date=27 September 2020 |access-date=2023-11-25 |website=g1.globo.com |language=pt}}
- Fatma Ceren Necipoğlu, Turkish classical harpist and academic of Anadolu University in Eskişehir; she was returning home via Paris after performing at the fourth Rio Harp Festival.{{cite news |url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/domestic/11776187_p.asp |title=Good Morning – Turkey press scan on 2 June |date=2 June 2009 |work=Hürriyet Daily News |access-date=6 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529215723/http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/domestic/11776187_p.asp |archive-date=29 May 2010 |url-status=live }}
- Izabela Maria Furtado Kestler, professor of German studies at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.{{Cite web |date=1 June 2009 |title=Outro professor da UFRJ também está entre os passageiros do voo AF 447 |trans-title=Another UFRJ professor is also among the passengers on flight AF 447 |url=https://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Mundo/0,,MUL1178824-5602,00-OUTRO+PROFESSOR+DA+UFRJ+TAMBEM+ESTA+ENTRE+OS+PASSAGEIROS+DO+VOO+AF.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927020102/http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Mundo/0,,MUL1178824-5602,00-OUTRO+PROFESSOR+DA+UFRJ+TAMBEM+ESTA+ENTRE+OS+PASSAGEIROS+DO+VOO+AF.html |archive-date=27 September 2020 |access-date=2023-11-25 |website=g1.globo.com |language=pt}}
- Pablo Dreyfus from Argentina, campaigner for controlling illegal arms and the illegal drugs trade.{{cite news |url=http://www.sundayherald.com/international/shinternational/display.var.2512885.0.0.php |title=Key figures in global battle against illegal arms trade lost in Air France crash |date=11 June 2009 |work=Sunday Herald |access-date=11 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611150623/http://www.sundayherald.com/international/shinternational/display.var.2512885.0.0.php |archive-date=11 June 2009 |url-status=dead }}
==Accident==
{{Annotated image|image=AF 447 path-notext.svg | width=300 | height=238 | image-width = 300 | image-left=0 | image-top=0
| caption=Approximate flight path of AF 447: The solid red line shows the actual route. The dashed line indicates the planned route beginning with the position of the last transmission heard. All times are UTC.
| annotations ={{Annotation|98|200|Rio de Janeiro
22:29, 31 May|font-size=10}}{{Annotation|117|155|Fernando de Noronha
01:33, 1 June|font-size=10}}{{Annotation|125|118|Last known position
N2.98 W30.59
02:10, 1 June|font-size=10}}{{Annotation|200|23|Paris
Expected at 09:03,
1 June|font-size=10}}
}}
The aircraft departed Rio de Janeiro–Galeão International Airport on 31 May 2009 at 19:29 Brazilian Standard Time (22:29 UTC),{{Reference page|page=21}} with a scheduled arrival at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport at 11:03 Central European Summer Time (09:03 UTC) the following day (estimated flight time of 10:34).{{cite web |date=5 July 2012 |title=Safety Investigation Following the Accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbus A300-203, Flight AF 447 – Summary |url=http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/note05juillet2012.en.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123003826/http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/note05juillet2012.en.pdf |archive-date=23 January 2013 |access-date=25 February 2013 |publisher=Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety}} Voice contact with the aircraft was lost around 01:35 UTC, 3 hours and 6 minutes after departure. The last message reported that the aircraft had passed waypoint INTOL ({{Coord |1|21|39|S|32|49|53|W|type:event|display=inline}}), located {{convert|565|km|abbr=on|mi nmi}} off Natal, on Brazil's northeastern coast.{{sfn|BEA first|2009|p=13}} The aircraft left Brazilian Atlantic radar surveillance at 01:49 UTC,{{Reference page|page=49}}{{sfn|BEA final|2012|p=49|ps=: "The radar data show that AF 447 passed over the SALPU point at 1 h 49 min, the last recorded radar point corresponding to the limit of radar coverage (this passing time would correspond to an estimated time at TASIL of 2 h 20)."}} and entered a communication dead zone.{{harvnb|BEA final|2012}}{{failed verification|date=October 2019}}
The Airbus A330 is designed to be flown by two pilots, but the 13-hour "duty time" (the total flight duration, as well as preflight preparation) required for the Rio-Paris route exceeded the 10 hours permitted before a pilot had to take a break as dictated by Air France's procedures. To comply with these procedures, Flight 447 was crewed by three pilots: a captain and two first officers.BEA first 2009 1.17.2.3 "Air France procedures" With three pilots on board, each pilot could take a break in the A330's rest cabin, located behind the cockpit.{{sfn|BEA first|2009|loc=§1.17.2.2}}
In accordance with common practice, Captain Dubois sent First Officer Robert for the first rest period with the intention of taking the second break himself.{{sfn|BEA final|2012|loc=§2.1.1.3.1|ps=,"Choice of time period"}} At 01:55 UTC, he woke up First Officer Robert and said, "... he's going to take my place". After attending the briefing between the two co-pilots, the captain left the cockpit to rest at 02:01:46 UTC. At 02:06 UTC, the pilot warned the cabin crew that they were about to enter an area of turbulence. About two to three minutes later, the aircraft encountered icing conditions. The cockpit voice recorder (CVR) recorded sounds akin to hail or graupel on the outside of the aircraft and ice crystals began to accumulate in the pitot tubes, which measure airspeed.{{sfn|BEA third|2011|p=73}} Bonin, the pilot flying, turned the aircraft slightly to the left and decreased its speed from Mach 0.82 to 0.80, which was the recommended speed to penetrate turbulence. The engine anti-ice system was also turned on.{{sfn|Palmer|2013|pp=4, 39}}
File:Voo Air France 447-2006-06-14.jpg after its recovery from the ocean]]
At 02:10:05 UTC, the autopilot disengaged, most likely because the pitot tubes had iced over, and the aircraft transitioned from "normal law" to "alternate law 2 (ALT2)".{{sfn|Palmer|2013|pp=4–5}} The engines' autothrust systems disengaged three seconds later. The autopilot disconnect warning was heard on the CVR.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}
Bonin took manual control of the aircraft. Without the autopilot, turbulence caused the aircraft to start to roll to the right, and Bonin reacted by deflecting his side-stick to the left. One consequence of the change to ALT2 was an increase in the aircraft's sensitivity to roll, and the pilot overcorrected. During the next 30 seconds, the aircraft rolled alternately left and right as he adjusted to the altered handling characteristics of the aircraft.{{sfn|Palmer|2013|p=86}} At the same time, he abruptly pulled back on his side-stick, raising the nose. This action was unnecessary and excessive under the circumstances.{{sfn|BEA final|2012|loc=§2.1.2.3|ps=,"The excessive amplitude of these [nose-up] inputs made them unsuitable and incompatible with the recommended aircraft handling practices for high altitude flight."}} The aircraft's stall warning briefly sounded twice because the angle of attack tolerance was exceeded, and the aircraft's indicated airspeed dropped sharply from {{convert|274|to|52|kn}}. The aircraft's angle of attack increased, and the aircraft subsequently began to climb above its cruising altitude of 35,000 ft (FL350). During this ascent, the aircraft attained vertical speeds well in excess of the typical rate of climb for the Airbus A330, which usually ascends at rates no greater than 2,000 feet per minute (10 m/s; 37 km/h). The aircraft experienced a peak vertical speed close to {{convert|7000|ft/min|m/s km/h}},{{sfn|Palmer|2013|p=86}} which occurred as Bonin brought the rolling movements under control.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}
At 02:10:34 UTC, after displaying incorrectly for half a minute, the left-side instruments recorded a sharp rise in airspeed to {{convert|223|kn}}, as did the integrated standby instrument system (ISIS) 33 seconds later.{{sfn|BEA final appx2|2012|ps=:
2 h 10 min 08: CAS changes from {{convert|274|kn|km/h|lk=on|abbr=on}} to {{convert|156|kn|km/h|abbr=on}}. The CAS ISIS changes from {{convert|275|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} to {{convert|139|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} then goes back up to {{convert|223|kn|km/h|abbr=on}}. The Mach changes from 0.80 to 0.26.
2 h 10 min 09: CAS is {{convert|52|kn|km/h|abbr=on}}. The CAS ISIS stabilises at {{convert|270|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} for four seconds.
2 h 10 min 34: CAS increases from {{convert|105|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} to {{convert|223|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} in two seconds. The CAS ISIS is {{convert|115|kn|km/h|abbr=on}}.
2 h 11 min 07: The CAS ISIS changes from {{convert|129|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} to {{convert|183|kn|km/h|abbr=on}}. The CAS is at {{convert|184|kn|km/h|abbr=on}}.
FDR graph parameters (in French):
[https://archive.today/6lTGu/7e93291edf275081a529d976bbd362ebd1fe9314.jpg – 2 h 10 min 04 to 2 h 10 min 26]
[https://archive.today/d5JDk/7c6dd0cdc2ea175d48a3024e40e2c426a1253190.jpg – 2 h 10 min 26 to 2 h 10 min 50]
[https://archive.today/vfh9v/a13a2599e73f874eff120c3ee6583e350137f03b.jpg – 2 h 10 min 50 to 2 h 11 min 47]}} The right-side instruments were not recorded by the flight data recorder. The icing event had lasted for just over a minute,Palmer 2013, p. 7 "02:11:07 [...] The last of the pitot icing had cleared and all three airspeed indications were then displaying correctly"Palmer 2013, p. 57 "The pitot icing lasted for about one minute and five seconds"{{Reference page|page=198}}{{sfn|BEA final|2012|p=198|ps=,"The speed displayed on the left PFD (primary flight display) was incorrect for 29 seconds, that of the speed on the ISIS for 54 seconds and the speed displayed on the right PFD for 61 seconds at most."}} yet Bonin continued to make nose-up inputs. The trimmable horizontal stabilizer (THS) moved from 3 to 13° nose-up in about one minute, and remained in the latter position until the end of the flight.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}
At 02:11:10 UTC, the aircraft had climbed to its maximum altitude around {{convert|38000|ft|m|sigfig=3|abbr=off}}. At this point, the aircraft's angle of attack was 16°, and the engine thrust levers were in the fully forward takeoff/go-around (TOGA) detent. As the aircraft began to descend, the angle of attack rapidly increased toward 30°. A second consequence of the reconfiguration into ALT2 was that the stall protection no longer operated, whereas in normal law, the aircraft's flight-management computers would have acted to prevent such a high angle of attack.{{sfn|Palmer|2013|pp=78–80}} The wings lost lift and the aircraft began to stall.{{sfn|BEA third|2011}}{{page needed|date=March 2017}}
Confused, Bonin exclaimed, "I don't have control of the airplane any more now", and two seconds later, "I don't have control of the airplane at all!" Robert responded to this by saying, "controls to the left", and took over control of the aircraft. He pushed his side-stick forward to lower the nose and recover from the stall; however, Bonin was still pulling his side-stick back. The inputs cancelled each other out and triggered an audible "dual input" warning.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}
At 02:11:40 UTC, Dubois re-entered the cockpit after being summoned by Robert.{{cite web|last=Wise|first=Jeff|title=What Really Happened Aboard Air France 447|url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/aviation/crashes/what-really-happened-aboard-air-france-447-6611877|date=2011-12-06|website=Popular Mechanics|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-01|archive-date=3 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141203212323/http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/aviation/crashes/what-really-happened-aboard-air-france-447-6611877|url-status=live}} The angle of attack had then reached 40°, and the aircraft had descended to {{convert|35000|ft}} with the engines running at almost 100% N1 (the rotational speed of the front intake fan, which delivers most of a turbofan engine's thrust). The stall warnings stopped, as all airspeed indications were now considered invalid by the aircraft's computer because of the high angle of attack.{{sfn|Palmer|2013|p=57|ps=: "This created a situation where the air was pushing into, in addition to flowing over, the static ports. [...] This dynamic accounts for the repeated falling of the airspeed to invalid values."}} The aircraft had its nose above the horizon, but was descending steeply.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}
Roughly 20 seconds later, at 02:12 UTC, Bonin decreased the aircraft's pitch slightly. Airspeed indications became valid, and the stall warning sounded again; it then sounded intermittently for the remaining duration of the flight, stopping only when the pilots increased the aircraft's nose-up pitch. From there until the end of the flight, the angle of attack never dropped below 35°. From the time the aircraft stalled until its impact with the ocean, the engines were primarily developing either 100% N1 or TOGA thrust, though they were briefly spooled down to about 50% N1 on two occasions. The engines always responded to commands and were developing in excess of 100% N1 when the flight ended. Robert responded to Dubois by saying, "We've lost all control of the aeroplane, we don't understand anything, we've tried everything". Soon after this, Robert said to himself, "climb" four consecutive times. Bonin heard this and replied, "But I've been at maximum nose-up for a while!" When Dubois heard this, he realized Bonin was causing the stall, and shouted, "No no no, don't climb! No No No!"Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/jM3CwBYX-ms Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |title=Inside cockpit Af447 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM3CwBYX-ms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106154949/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM3CwBYX-ms&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=2019-11-06 |website=YouTube| date=2 September 2015 }}{{cbignore}} When Robert heard this, he told Bonin to give him control of the airplane, and Bonin initially obliged.
The aircraft was now too low to recover from the stall. Robert pushed his side-stick forward to try to regain lift in order to get out of the stall; however, shortly thereafter, the ground proximity warning system sounded a "sink rate" alarm followed by "pull up" alarms. In response, Bonin (without informing his colleagues) pulled his side-stick all the way back again, and said, "We're going to crash! This can't be true. But what's happening?"{{cite book|last1=Ostrom|first1=Lee T.|last2=Wilhelmsen|first2=Cheryl A.|title=Risk Assessment: Tools, Techniques, and Their Applications|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ToefDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA328|year=2019|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-1-119-48346-5|page=328}} The last recording on the CVR was Dubois saying, "(ten){{Efn|The BEA was unable to positively identify this word, hence it was enclosed in parentheses on the CVR transcript.{{harvid|BEA_final_appx1|2012}}}} degrees pitch attitude."{{Cn|date=May 2025}}
Both flight recorders stopped recording at 02:14:28 UTC, 3 hours and 45 minutes after takeoff. At that point, the aircraft's ground speed was recorded as {{convert|107|kn}}, and the aircraft was descending at {{convert|10912|ft/min|m/s}}, a vertical speed of {{convert|108|kn}}. Its pitch was 16.2° nose-up, with a roll angle of 5.3° to the left. During its descent, the aircraft had turned more than 180° to the right to a compass heading of 270°. The aircraft remained stalled during its entire 3-minute-30-second descent from {{convert|38000|ft}}.{{cite web |title=Flight AF 447 on 1st June 2009, A330-203, registered F-GZCP, 27 May 2011 briefing |url=http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/info27may2011.en.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208144900/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/info27may2011.en.php |archive-date=8 December 2015 |publisher=BEA}} The aircraft struck the ocean belly-first at a speed of {{convert|152|kn}}, comprising vertical and horizontal components of {{convert|108|kn}} and {{convert|107|kn}}, respectively. All 228 passengers and crew on board died on impact from extreme trauma and the aircraft was destroyed.{{cite news |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,764227,00.html |title=Recording Indicates Pilot Wasn't in Cockpit During Critical Phase |date=23 May 2011 |access-date=23 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525215411/http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,764227,00.html |archive-date=25 May 2011 |url-status=live }}
=Automated messages=
Air France's A330s are equipped with a communications system, Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS), which enables them to transmit data messages via VHF or satellite.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}{{efn|At the time of its disappearance, F-GZCP was using satellite communication, its position over the mid-Atlantic being too far from land-based receivers for VHF to be effective.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}}} ACARS can be used by the aircraft's on-board computers to send messages automatically, and F-GZCP transmitted a position report about every 10 minutes. Its final position report at 02:10:34 gave the aircraft's coordinates as {{Coord|2.98|N|30.59|W|type:event|display=inline|format=dms}}.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}{{efn|On the map, the coordinates in BEA's first interim report{{sfn|BEA first|2009|p=13}} with the information on page 13 is referenced as the "last known position" (French: Dernière position connue, "last known position").}}
In addition to the routine position reports, F-GZCP's centralized maintenance system sent a series of messages via ACARS in the minutes immediately prior to its disappearance.{{sfn|BEA first|2009|pp=48–57}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=comm&id=news/RECORD060309.xml |title=Concerns over recovering AF447 recorders |date=3 June 2009 |work=Aviation Week |publisher=Aviation Week |access-date=7 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811075524/http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story_channel.jsp?channel=comm&id=news%2FRECORD060309.xml |archive-date=11 August 2011 }}{{Cite news|url=http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/aw060809p1.xml&channel=awst |title=Data Link Messages Hold Clues to Air France Crash |date=7 June 2009 |work=Aviation Week |access-date=8 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111116212113/http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news%2Faw060809p1.xml&channel=awst |archive-date=16 November 2011 }} These messages, sent to prepare maintenance workers on the ground prior to arrival, were transmitted between 02:10 UTC and 02:15 UTC,{{Cite news|url=http://jt.france2.fr/player/20h/index-fr.php?jt=20090604 |title=France2 newscast |date=4 June 2009 |work=France2 Online |publisher=France Televisions |access-date=7 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620030321/http://jt.france2.fr/player/20h/index-fr.php?jt=20090604 |archive-date=20 June 2009 |url-status=dead }} and consisted of 5 failure reports and 19 warnings.{{sfn|BEA first|2009|p=49}}{{Cite news|url=http://jt.france2.fr/20h/ |title=France 2 |language=fr |format=video |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090706215400/http://jt.france2.fr/20h/ |archive-date=6 July 2009 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.smartcockpit.com/pdf/plane/airbus/A330/systems/0018/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070114073003/http://www.smartcockpit.com/pdf/plane/airbus/A330/systems/0018/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 January 2007 |title=Airbus 330 – Systems – Maintenance System |work=Flight crew operating manual|access-date=7 June 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://av-info.faa.gov/sdrx/documents/JASC_Code.pdf|title=Joint aircraft system/component code table and definitions|publisher=Federal Aviation Administration, US|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090510212148/http://av-info.faa.gov/sdrx/documents/JASC_Code.pdf|archive-date=10 May 2009|access-date=6 June 2009}}
File:Airbus A330-203 AF447 Localização.jpg, 8 June 2009; Brazilian Navy Commander Giucemar Tabosa Cardoso shows the map with the location of the remains of the Airbus A330-203.]]
Among the ACARS transmissions at 02:10 is one message that indicates a fault in the pitot-static system. Bruno Sinatti, president of Alter, Air France's third-biggest pilots' union, stated, "Piloting becomes very difficult, near impossible, without reliable speed data."{{Cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aHpmstG1g14A |title=Air France Captain Dubois Let Down by 1-Pound Part, Pilots Say |date=11 June 2009|publisher=Bloomberg L.P. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025205331/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aHpmstG1g14A |archive-date=25 October 2012 |access-date=11 June 2009 }} The 12 warning messages with the same time code indicate that the autopilot and autothrust system had disengaged, that the traffic collision avoidance system was in fault mode, and that the flight mode went from "normal law" to "alternate law (ALT)".{{cite web |url=http://www.smartcockpit.com/pdf/plane/airbus/A330/systems/0010/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20090612084314/http://www.smartcockpit.com/pdf/plane/airbus/A330/systems/0010/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 June 2009 |title=Airbus 330 – Systems – Flight Controls |work=Flight crew operating manual |access-date=7 June 2009}}{{Cite news |date=6 June 2009 |title=Crash: Air France A332 over Atlantic on 1 June 2009, aircraft impacted ocean |url=http://avherald.com/h?article=41a81ef1/0022&opt=0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150719223012/http://avherald.com/h?article=41a81ef1%2F0022&opt=0 |archive-date=19 July 2015 |access-date=6 June 2009 |work=The Aviation Herald}}
The remainder of the messages occurred from 02:11 UTC to 02:14 UTC, containing a fault message for an air data inertial reference unit and ISIS.{{cite web |url=http://www.smartcockpit.com/pdf/plane/airbus/A320/systems/0040/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20090620113109/http://www.smartcockpit.com/pdf/plane/airbus/A320/systems/0040/|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 June 2009|title=Airbus ISIS|work=Flight crew operating manual |access-date=8 June 2009}} At 02:12 UTC, a warning message NAV ADR DISAGREE indicated that a disagreement existed between the three independent air data systems.{{efn|More precisely: that after one of the three independent systems had been diagnosed as faulty and excluded from consideration, the two remaining systems disagreed.}} At 02:13 UTC, a fault message for the flight management guidance and envelope computer was sent.{{cite web |url=http://www.smartcockpit.com/pdf/plane/airbus/A330/systems/0005/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070114072931/http://www.smartcockpit.com/pdf/plane/airbus/A330/systems/0005/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 January 2007 |title=Airbus 330 – Systems – Communications |work=Flight crew operating manual |access-date=7 June 2009}} One of the two final messages transmitted at 02:14 UTC was a warning referring to the air data reference system, the other ADVISORY was a "cabin vertical speed warning", indicating that the aircraft was descending at a high rate.{{sfn|BEA first|2009|pp=48–57}}{{Cite news |last=Hradecky |first=Simon |date=2 June 2009 |title=Crash: Air France A332 over Atlantic on 1 June 2009, aircraft lost |url=http://avherald.com/h?article=41a81ef1/0004&opt=0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190316131201/http://avherald.com/h?article=41a81ef1%2F0004&opt=0 |archive-date=16 March 2019 |access-date=3 May 2019 |work=The Aviation Herald}}{{cite web |url=http://www.airbusdriver.net/airbus_fltlaws.htm |title=Airbus Flight Control Laws |publisher=Airbus |access-date=3 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090416112524/http://www.airbusdriver.net/airbus_fltlaws.htm |archive-date=16 April 2009 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.airbus.com/index.php?id=276 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606090922/http://www.airbus.com/index.php?id=276 |archive-date=6 June 2009 |title=Avionics Product Range |publisher=Airbus |access-date=21 August 2011}}
==The 24 ACARS messages==
| class="wikitable"
| Hours | Code{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090625082634/http://www.flight.org/blog/2009/06/07/air-france-flight-447-unofficial-acars/ |language=EN |title=Air France Flight 447: Unofficial ACARS |archive-date=25 June 2009|url=http://www.flight.org/blog/2009/06/07/air-france-flight-447-unofficial-acars/}}{{cite web|publisher=wordpress.com |title=AF447 – Interpretazione dei 24 messaggi ACARS |date=11 June 2009 |url=https://tuttoqua.wordpress.com/2009/06/11/af447-interpretazione-dei-24-messaggi-acars/}} | Interpretation |
| 22:45
| FAILURE LAV CONF | Malfunction toilet |
| 02:10
| WARNING AUTO FLT AP OFF | Disconnecting the autopilot |
| 02:10
| WARNING AUTO FLT | Unknown |
| 02:10
| WARNING F/CTL ALTN LAW |The Fly-by-wire system switches from normal mode (Normal Law) to alternative mode (Alternate Law), deactivating many flight safety systems |
| 02:10
| WARNING FLAG ON CAPT PFD | On the Primary Flight Display (PFD) on the commander's side (CM1) - the incorrect speed alarm sounds |
| 02:10
| WARNING FLAG ON F/O PFD | On the Primary Flight Display (PFD) on the first officer's side (CM2) - incorrect airspeed alarm sounds |
| 02:10
| WARNING AUTO FLT A/THR OFF | The automatism inherent to the management of the engine throttle disconnects |
| '''
| 02:10 | WARNING NAV TCAS FAULT | The collision avoidance system (TCAS) fails and is deactivated |
| 02:10
| WARNING FLAG ON CAPT PFD | On the Primary Flight Display (PFD) on the commander's side (CM1) - the incorrect speed alarm sounds |
| 02:10
| WARNING FLAG ON F/O PFD | On the Primary Flight Display (PFD) on the first officer's side (CM2) - incorrect airspeed alarm sounds |
| 02:10
| WARNING F/CTL RUD TRV LIM FAULT | The message indicates that the Rudder travel limiter has been deactivated - restoring the maximum deflection on the rudder |
| 02:10
| WARNING MAINTENANCE STATUS | Unknown |
| 02:10
| WARNING MAINTENANCE STATUS | Unknown |
| 02:10
| FAILURE EFCS2 1 | Other problems with the Electronic Flight Control System |
| 02:10
| FAILURE EFCS1 X2 | Other problems with the Electronic Flight Control System |
| 02:11
| WARNING FLAG ON CAPT PFD | On the Primary Flight Display (PFD) on the commander's side (CM1) - the incorrect speed alarm sounds |
| 02:11
| WARNING FLAG ON F/O PFD | On the Primary Flight Display (PFD) on the first officer's side (CM2) - incorrect airspeed alarm sounds |
| 02:12
| WARNING NAV ADR DISAGREE | Discrepancies are detected by the Air Data Reference (ADR) when acquiring vital data such as speed and flight attitude (AoA) - Possible false alarm |
| 02:12
| FAILURE ISIS 1 | Problems on the electronic artificial horizon - Integrated Stand-by Instrument |
| 02:12
| FAILURE IR2 1,EFCS1X,IR1,IR3 | Other problems with the aircraft's inertial systems (IR1,IR2,IR3) and with the Fly-by-wire |
| 02:13
| WARNING F/CTL PRIM 1 FAULT | The primary computer that manages the control surfaces goes into error and is deactivated (probably due to significant discrepancies and errors acquired from the flight data) |
| 02:13
| WARNING F/CTL SEC 1 FAULT | Computer malfunction inherent to control surfaces (Spoiler and Elevator Computer) - (possibly due to significant discrepancies and errors acquired from flight data) |
| 02:14
| WARNING MAINTENANCE STATUS | Unknown |
| 02:14
| FAILURE AFS | The Automatic Flight System turns off |
| 02:14
| WARNING ADVISORY | Message that may indicate a too rapid descent or depressurization of the aircraft, although it cannot be ruled out that it is distorted by instrumentation errors |
=Weather conditions=
Weather conditions in the mid-Atlantic were normal for the time of year, and included a broad band of thunderstorms along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).{{sfn|BEA final|2012|loc=§1.7.1 p. 46}} A meteorological analysis of the area surrounding the flight path showed a mesoscale convective system extending to an altitude of around {{convert|50000|ft|m}} above the Atlantic Ocean before Flight 447 disappeared.{{cite web |url=http://www.weathergraphics.com/tim/af447/ |title=Air France Flight 447: A detailed meteorological analysis |first=Tim |last=Vasquez |date=3 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170226220158/http://www.weathergraphics.com/tim/af447/ |archive-date= 26 February 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/archives/2601 |title=Air France Flight #447: did weather play a role in the accident? |date=1 June 2009 |publisher=Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies |access-date=3 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170902032942/http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/goes/blog/archives/2601 |archive-date=2 September 2017 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=A Meteosat-9 infrared satellite image |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1244067525/html/1.stm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160306125927/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/08/americas_enl_1244067525/html/1.stm |archive-date=6 March 2016 |access-date=1 January 2010 |work=BBC News}}{{cite news |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/plane-vanished-in-region-known-for-huge-storms |title=Plane Vanished in Region Known for Huge Storms |publisher=Fox News Channel |date=3 June 2009 |access-date=7 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022161133/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,524538,00.html |archive-date=22 October 2012 |url-status=live}} During its final hour, Flight 447 encountered areas of light turbulence.{{sfn|BEA final|2012|loc=§1.11.2 p. 58}}
Commercial air transport crews routinely encounter this type of storm in this area.{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6446268.ece |work=The Times |location=UK |title=Air France 447: The computer crash |date=7 June 2009 |last1=Woods |first1=Richard |last2=Campbell |first2=Matthew |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814062406/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6446268.ece |archive-date=14 August 2011}} With the aircraft under the control of its automated systems, one of the main tasks occupying the cockpit crew was that of monitoring the progress of the flight through the ITCZ, using the on-board weather radar to avoid areas of significant turbulence.{{sfn|BEA final|2012|loc=§2.1.1.1 p. 167}} Twelve other flights had recently shared more or less the same route that Flight 447 was using at the time of the accident.{{cite news |date=9 June 2009 |title=12 similar flights deepen Air France 447 mystery |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/06/05/france.plane.investigation/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100421101918/http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/06/05/france.plane.investigation/index.html |archive-date=21 April 2010 |access-date=23 April 2010 |work=CNN}}{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5514KP20090602 |title=Two Lufthansa jets to give clues on AirFrance |date=2 June 2009 |work=Reuters |access-date=30 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606090110/http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE5514KP20090602 |archive-date=6 June 2009 |url-status=live}}
Search and recovery
=Surface search=
Flight 447 was due to pass from Brazilian airspace into Senegalese airspace around 02:20 (UTC) on 1 June, and then into Cape Verdean airspace at roughly 03:45. Shortly after 04:00, when the flight had failed to contact air traffic control in either Senegal or Cape Verde, the controller in Senegal attempted to contact the aircraft. When he received no response, he asked the crew of another Air France flight (AF459) to try to contact AF447; this was also met with no success.{{sfn|BEA first|2009|loc=§1.9.2 "Coordination between the control centres"}}
After further attempts to contact Flight 447 were unsuccessful, an aerial search for the missing Airbus commenced from both sides of the Atlantic. Brazilian Air Force aircraft from the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha and French reconnaissance aircraft based in Dakar, Senegal, led the search.{{cite news|date=1 June 2009|title=French plane lost in ocean storm |publisher=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8076848.stm|url-status=live|access-date=1 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603061124/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8076848.stm|archive-date=3 June 2009|quote=At 0530 GMT, Brazil's air force launched a search-and-rescue mission, sending out a coast guard patrol aircraft and a specialised air force rescue aircraft. ... France is despatching three search planes based in Dakar}} They were assisted by a Casa 235 maritime patrol aircraft from Spain{{cite news |date=1 June 2009 |title=Un avión de la Guardia Civil contra la inmigración también busca el avión desaparecido |trans-title=An aircraft of the Civil Guard against immigration also searches for the disappeared aircraft |url=http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2009/06/01/espana/1243878943.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605065258/http://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2009/06/01/espana/1243878943.html |archive-date=5 June 2009 |access-date=1 June 2009 |work=El Mundo |language=es |quote=El avión Casa 235 de la Guardia Civil utilizado... ha sido enviado a primera hora de la tarde a participar en las tareas de búsqueda del aparato de Air France desaparecido en las últimas horas cuando cubría el trayecto Río de Janeiro y París, informaron fuentes del Ministerio del Interior. |trans-quote=The Casa 235 aircraft of the Civil Guard used... was sent early in the afternoon to participate in the search for the Air France aircraft that disappeared in the last few hours while travelling between Rio de Janeiro and Paris, reported sources from the Ministry of the Interior.}} and a United States Navy Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol aircraft.{{cite news |title=Premières précisions sur l'Airbus d'Air France disparu |trans-title=First information about the disappeared Air France Airbus |url=http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/societe/fait-divers/premieres-precisions-sur-l-airbus-d-air-france-disparu_764282.html |url-status=live |work=L'Express |date=1 June 2009 |access-date=1 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605052346/http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/societe/fait-divers/premieres-precisions-sur-l-airbus-d-air-france-disparu_764282.html |archive-date=5 June 2009 |language=fr}}{{cite news |title=AF 447 may have come apart before crash: experts |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/af-447-may-have-come-apart-before-crash-experts/94037-2-p2.html |url-status=dead |agency=Associated Press |date=3 June 2009 |access-date=3 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606062006/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/af-447-may-have-come-apart-before-crash-experts/94037-2-p2.html |archive-date=6 June 2009}}
By early afternoon on 1 June, officials with Air France and the French government had already presumed the aircraft had been lost with no survivors. An Air France spokesperson told L'Express that "no hope for survivors" remained,{{cite news |title='Aucun espoir' pour le vol Rio-Paris d'Air France |trans-title='No hope' for the Air France Rio – Paris flight |url=http://www.lexpansion.com/economie/actualite-economique/aucun-espoir-pour-le-vol-rio-paris-d-air-france_182359.html |url-status=live |work=L'Express |date=1 June 2009 |access-date=1 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605172000/http://www.lexpansion.com/economie/actualite-economique/aucun-espoir-pour-le-vol-rio-paris-d-air-france_182359.html |archive-date=5 June 2009 |language=fr}}{{cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jun/01/air-france-crash-a330-brazil |title= French plane crashed over Atlantic | date = 1 June 2009 | access-date = 1 June 2009 | work = The Guardian | location = UK | first= Angelique | last= Chrisafis |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090611192232/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jun/01/air-france-crash-a330-brazil | archive-date= 11 June 2009 | url-status = live}} and French President Nicolas Sarkozy announced almost no chance existed for anyone to have survived.{{cite news |title=Prospect slim of finding plane survivors |publisher=KKTV-TV |agency=Associated Press |url=http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/46633847.html |date=1 June 2009 |access-date=16 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713154614/http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/46633847.html |archive-date=13 July 2011 |url-status=live}} On 2 June at 15:20 (UTC), a Brazilian Air Force Embraer R-99A spotted wreckage and signs of oil, possibly jet fuel, strewn along a {{convert|5|km|abbr=on|sigfig=1|mi nmi}} band {{convert|650|km|abbr=on|mi nmi}} north-east of Fernando de Noronha Island, near the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago. The sighted wreckage included an aircraft seat, an orange buoy, a barrel, and "white pieces and electrical conductors".{{cite news |title=RELATÓRIO DAS BUSCAS DO VOO 447 DA AIR FRANCE |trans-title=Report on the Search for Air France Flight 447 |publisher=Brazilian Air Force Bulletin |number=6 |url=http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3103 |date= 2 June 2009 |language=pt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611165414/http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3103 |archive-date=11 June 2009}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/world/europe/03plane.html |title=France and Brazil Press Search for Missing Plane |work=The New York Times |access-date=2 June 2009 |date=2 June 2009 |first=Christine |last=Negroni |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130215082115/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/world/europe/03plane.html |archive-date=15 February 2013 |url-status=live}} Later that day, after meeting with relatives of the Brazilians on the aircraft, Brazilian Defence Minister Nelson Jobim announced that the Air Force believed the wreckage was from Flight 447.{{cite news |date=2 June 2009 |title=No survivors found in wreckage of Air France jet, official says |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/06/02/brazil.france.plane.missing/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606155453/http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/americas/06/02/brazil.france.plane.missing/ |archive-date=6 June 2009 |access-date=2 June 2009 |work=CNN}}{{cite news|date=2 June 2009|title=Ocean search finds plane debris|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8080290.stm|url-status=live|access-date=2 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603011653/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8080290.stm|archive-date=3 June 2009}} Brazilian vice-president José Alencar (acting as president since Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was out of the country) declared three days of official mourning.{{cite news |date=2 June 2009 |trans-title=José Alencar decrees three days official mourning for Airbus victims |url=http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Brasil/0,,MUL1180489-5598,00-JOSE+ALENCAR+DECRETA+TRES+DIAS+DE+LUTO+OFICIAL+POR+VITIMAS+DO+AIRBUS.html |title=José Alencar decreta três dias de luto oficial por vítimas do Airbus |publisher=Globo |access-date=2 June 2009 |language=pt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612182822/http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Brasil/0%2C%2CMUL1180489-5598%2C00-JOSE%2BALENCAR%2BDECRETA%2BTRES%2BDIAS%2BDE%2BLUTO%2BOFICIAL%2BPOR%2BVITIMAS%2BDO%2BAIRBUS.html |archive-date=12 June 2009 |url-status=live}}
File:Henry Munhoz exibe fotografia.jpg
Also on 2 June, two French Navy vessels, the frigate {{ship|French frigate|Ventôse||2}} and helicopter-carrier Mistral, were en route to the suspected crash site. Other ships sent to the site included the French research vessel Pourquoi Pas?, equipped with two minisubmarines able to descend to {{convert|6000|m|ft|abbr=on}},{{sfn|BEA first|2009|loc=§1.16.1.3 "Resources deployed by France"}}{{cite news |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hCW-WX005nehnu4oOpI61nUXF0lA |title=Navy ships seek to recover Air France crash debris |first=Evaristo |last=Sá |date=3 June 2009 |agency=Agence France-Presse |access-date=10 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225122919/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hCW-WX005nehnu4oOpI61nUXF0lA |archive-date=25 February 2014 |url-status=dead }} since the area of the Atlantic in which the aircraft went down was thought to be as deep as {{convert|4700|m|ft|abbr=on}}.{{cite news |url=http://www.news24.com/Content/World/News/1073/27cddc2b46c04b558f783e845b6a4721/02-06-2009%2007-06/Mini-subs_sent_to_look_for_jet |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905235639/http://www.news24.com/Content/World/News/1073/27cddc2b46c04b558f783e845b6a4721/02-06-2009%2007-06/Mini-subs_sent_to_look_for_jet |archive-date=5 September 2012 |date=2 June 2009 |access-date=2 June 2009 |work=News24 |title=Mini-subs sent to look for jet |url-status=dead}}{{sfn|BEA first|2009|loc=§1.16.1.1 "Context of the searches"}}
On 3 June, the first Brazilian Navy (the "Marinha do Brasil" or MB) ship, the patrol boat {{ship|Brazilian patrol boat|Grajaú|P40|2}}, reached the area in which the first debris was spotted. The Brazilian Navy sent a total of five ships to the debris site; the frigate Constituição and the corvette Caboclo were scheduled to reach the area on 4 June, the frigate Bosísio on 6 June and the replenishment oiler Almirante Gastão Motta on 7 June.{{cite news |title=Brazilian Air Force Finds More Debris from Flight 447 |url=http://english.cri.cn/6966/2009/06/04/1901s490146.htm |publisher=CRI English |date=3 June 2009 |access-date=3 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611150304/http://english.cri.cn/6966/2009/06/04/1901s490146.htm |archive-date=11 June 2009 |url-status=dead}}{{cite news |date=4 June 2009 |title=Buscas à aeronave do voo AF 447 da Air France |trans-title=Searches for Air France flight AF 447 |url=http://www.mar.mil.br/menu_h/noticias/busca_air_france/air_france-desaparecido.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927124924/https://www.mar.mil.br/menu_h/noticias/busca_air_france/air_france-desaparecido.htm |archive-date=27 September 2011 |access-date=4 June 2009 |publisher=Brazilian Navy |language=pt}}
Early on 6 June 2009, five days after Flight 447 disappeared, two male bodies, the first to be recovered from the crashed aircraft, were brought on board the Caboclo{{cite web |date=6 June 2009 |title=Nota 17: Informações Sobre As Buscas Do Voo 447 Da Air France |trans-title=Note 17: Information on the Search for Air France Flight 447 |url=http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3136 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611145544/http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3136 |archive-date=11 June 2009 |access-date=17 November 2013 |publisher=Ministério da Dafesa |language=pt}} along with a seat, a nylon backpack containing a computer and vaccination card, and a leather briefcase containing a boarding pass for the Air France flight. Initially, media (including The Boston Globe, the Los Angeles Times, and the Chicago Tribune) cited unnamed investigators in their reporting that the recovered bodies were naked, which implied the plane had broken up at high altitude.{{cite book |last1=Bibel |first1=George |last2=Hedges |first2=Robert |title=Plane Crash: The Forensics of Aviation Disasters |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |location=US |date=2018 |page=143 |isbn=978-1-4214-2448-4}} However, the notion that the aircraft fragmented while airborne ultimately was refuted by investigators.{{cite book |last1=Bibel |first1=George |last2=Hedges |first2=Robert |date=2018 |title=Plane Crash: The Forensics of Aviation Disasters |publisher=Johns Hopkins University Press |location=US |page=144 |isbn=978-1-4214-2448-4}} At this point, on the evidence of the recovered bodies and materials, investigators confirmed the plane had crashed, killing everyone on board.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8087303.stm |title=Bodies 'found' from missing plane |date=6 June 2009 |publisher=BBC News |access-date=6 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608084609/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8087303.stm |archive-date=8 June 2009 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |title=Brazil: Bodies found near Air France crash site |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna31137068 |publisher=NBC News |date=6 June 2009 |access-date=6 June 2009 |archive-date=10 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310000256/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/31137068/ |url-status=live }} The following day, 7 June, search crews recovered the Airbus's vertical stabilizer, the first major piece of wreckage to be discovered. Pictures of this part being lifted onto the Constituição became a poignant symbol of the loss of the Air France craft.{{sfn|BEA first|2009}}{{page needed|date=March 2017}}{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8089917.stm |title=Air France tail section recovered |publisher=BBC News |date=8 June 2009 |access-date=1 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120405092649/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8089917.stm |archive-date=5 April 2012 |url-status=live}}
File:Hércules C-130 com 16 corpos.jpg
File:VOO AF447 Busca e Resgate (2008) (53498629020).jpg
The search and recovery effort reached its peak over the next week or so, as the number of personnel mobilized by the Brazilian military exceeded 1100.{{efn|850 from its Navy and 250 Air Force.}}{{cite web |url=http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3262 |title=Press Release 39: Information on the Search for Air France Flight 447 |date=22 June 2009 |publisher=Ministério da Defesa |access-date=17 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091125230600/http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3262 |archive-date=25 November 2009}} Fifteen aircraft (including two helicopters) were devoted to the search mission.{{cite web|url=http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3252 |title=Press Release 37: Information on the Search for Air France Flight 447 |date=20 June 2009 |publisher=Ministério da Defesa |access-date=17 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090624014556/http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3252 |archive-date=24 June 2009}}
The Brazilian Air Force Embraer R99 flew for more than 100 hours, and electronically scanned more than a million square kilometers of ocean.{{cite web|url=http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3180 |title=Press Release 31: Information on the Search for Air France Flight 447 |date=14 June 2009 |publisher=Ministério da Defesa |access-date=17 November 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620122837/http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3180 |archive-date=20 June 2009}} Other aircraft involved in the search scanned, visually, {{convert|320000|km2|sqmi sqnmi|sigfig=2|abbr=}} of ocean and were used to direct Navy vessels involved in the recovery effort.
By 16 June 2009, 50 bodies had been recovered from a wide area of the ocean.{{sfn|BEA first|2009|loc=§1.12.1 "Localisation of the bodies and aircraft parts"|ps=,"All the debris known to the BEA was referenced in a database. By 26 June, this database included 640 items."}}{{cite news|url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/world_news/article173147.ece|title=Crash jet 'split in two at high altitude'|last1=Campbell|first1=Matthew|date=14 June 2009|work=The Times|access-date=14 June 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140416180709/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/world_news/article173147.ece|archive-date=16 April 2014|last2=Woods|first2=Richard|location=UK}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3215|title=Nota 33: Informações Sobre As Buscas Do Voo 447 Da Air France|date=16 June 2009|publisher=Ministério da Defesa|language=pt|trans-title=Note 33: Information on the Search for Air France Flight 447|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620000139/http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3215|archive-date=20 June 2009|access-date=17 June 2009}} They were transported to shore, first by the frigates Constituição and Bosísio to Fernando de Noronha, and thereafter by air to Recife for identification.{{cite web|url=http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3180|title=Nota 31: Informações Sobre As Buscas Do Voo 447 Da Air France|date=14 June 2009|publisher=Ministério da Defesa|language=pt|trans-title=Note 31: Information on the Search for Air France Flight 447|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620122837/http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3180|archive-date=20 June 2009|access-date=15 June 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3152|title=Nota 22: Informações Sobre As Buscas Do Voo 447 Da Air France|date=9 June 2009|publisher=Ministério da Defesa|language=pt|trans-title=Note 22: Information on the Search for Air France Flight 447|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612022909/http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3152|archive-date=12 June 2009|access-date=12 June 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3169|title=Nota 27: Informações Sobre As Buscas Do Voo 447 Da Air France|date=11 June 2009|publisher=Ministério da Defesa|language=pt|trans-title=Note 27: Information on the Search for Air France Flight 447|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090615072332/http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3169|archive-date=15 June 2009|access-date=12 June 2009}} Pathologists identified all 50 bodies recovered from the crash site, including that of the captain, by using dental records and fingerprints.BEA second 2009 1.13, p. 32 (PDF p. 33 of 104) "The autopsies made it possible to identify fifty persons: 45 passengers, 4 flight attendants, and the captain"{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6559861.ece |title=Hopes of finding Air France Airbus black boxes dashed |work=The Times |location=London |date=23 June 2009 |access-date=23 April 2010 |first1=Charles |last1=Bremner |first2=Sophie |last2=Tedmanson |archive-date=12 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212030117/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |date=25 June 2009 |title=INFO FIGARO – AF 447: le corps du pilote identifié |trans-title=INFO FIGARO – AF 447: the pilot's body identified |url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2009/06/25/01011-20090625FILWWW00400-af-447-le-corps-du-pilote-identifie.php |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090628052754/http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2009/06/25/01011-20090625FILWWW00400-af-447-le-corps-du-pilote-identifie.php |archive-date=28 June 2009 |access-date=25 June 2009 |work=Le Figaro |location=France |language=fr}} The search teams logged the time and location of every find in a database which, by the time the search ended on 26 June, catalogued 640 items of debris from the aircraft.{{sfn|BEA first|2009|loc=§1.12.1 "Localisation of the bodies and aircraft parts"|ps=,"All the debris known to the BEA was referenced in a database. By 26 June, this database included 640 items."}}
The BEA documented the timeline of discoveries in its first interim report.{{sfn|BEA first|2009|loc=Appx A pp. 101–107 "Chronology of recovery of bodies and airplane parts"}}{{sfn|BEA second|2009|loc=§1.13}}{{sfn|BEA first|2009|loc=§1.12.1 p. 37}}
=Underwater search=
On 5 June 2009, the French nuclear submarine Émeraude was dispatched to the crash zone, arriving in the area on the 10th. Its mission was to assist in the search for the missing flight recorders or "black boxes" that might be located at great depth.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/france-sends-nuclear-sub-to-hunt-for-jet-wreckage-1.791478 |title=France sends nuclear sub to hunt for jet wreckage |publisher=CBC News |date=5 June 2009 |access-date=9 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608161905/https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/france-sends-nuclear-sub-to-hunt-for-jet-wreckage-1.791478 |archive-date=8 June 2009 |url-status=live}} The submarine would use its sonar to listen for the ultrasonic signal emitted by the black boxes' "pingers",{{cite news |date=7 June 2009 |title=More bodies found near Air France crash site |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE5501PB20090607 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608151648/https://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE5501PB20090607 |archive-date=8 June 2009 |access-date=8 June 2009 |work=Reuters}} covering {{convert|13|sqmi|sqkm sqmi sqnmi|order=out}} per day. The Émeraude was to work with the mini-sub Nautile, which can descend to the ocean floor. The French submarines would be aided by two U.S. underwater audio devices capable of picking up signals at a depth of {{convert|20000|ft|m|order=flip|sigfig=1}}.{{cite news |title=Sub joins search for Air France black boxes |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna31207960 |agency=Associated Press |work=NBC News |date=10 June 2009 |access-date=22 April 2023 |archive-date=23 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230423022600/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna31207960 |url-status=live }}
File:AF447SeaBottom.jpg relief map of the part of Atlantic Ocean into which Air France Flight 447 crashed. Image shows two different data sets with different resolution.{{efn|The areas showing detailed bathymetry were mapped using multibeam bathymetric sonar. The areas showing very generalized bathymetry were mapped using high-density satellite altimetry.}}]]
Following the end of the search for bodies, the search continued for the Airbus's "black boxes"—the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and the Flight Data Recorder (FDR). French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA) chief Paul-Louis Arslanian said that he was not optimistic about finding them since they might have been under as much as {{convert|3000|m|ft|sigfig=1}} of water, and the terrain under this portion of the ocean was very rugged.{{cite news |date=3 June 2009 |title=Lost jet data 'may not be found' |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8080669.stm |url-status=live |access-date=3 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606150955/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8080669.stm |archive-date=6 June 2009}} Investigators were hoping to find the aircraft's lower aft section, for that was where the recorders were located.{{cite news |author=Negroni, Christine |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/world/europe/03plane.html |title=Wreckage of Air France Jet is Found, Brazil says |work=The New York Times |date=3 June 2009 |access-date=4 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130215082115/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/03/world/europe/03plane.html |archive-date=15 February 2013 |url-status=live}} Although France had never recovered a flight recorder from such depths, there was precedent for such an operation: in 1988, an independent contractor recovered the CVR of South African Airways Flight 295 from a depth of {{convert|4900|m|ft}} in a search area of between {{convert|80 and 250|nmi2|km2 mi2 nmi2|order=out}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.strumpfer.com/Papers/HelderbergSearch.htm|title=Deep Ocean Search Planning: A Case Study of Problem Solving|last=Strümpfer|first=Johan|date=16 October 2006|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090606090911/http://www.strumpfer.com/Papers/HelderbergSearch.htm|archive-date=6 June 2009|access-date=4 June 2009}}{{cite news |url=http://www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/20090603/finding-black-box-air-france-flight-447-will-challenging-french-probe-team_3.htm |title=Finding the black box of Air France Flight 447 will be challenging: French probe team |work=International Business Times |access-date=4 June 2009 |date=4 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090607022215/http://www.ibtimes.co.in/articles/20090603/finding-black-box-air-france-flight-447-will-challenging-french-probe-team_3.htm |archive-date=7 June 2009 |url-status=dead }} The Air France flight recorders were fitted with water-activated acoustic underwater locator beacons or "pingers", which should have remained active for at least 30 days, giving searchers that much time to locate the origin of the signals.{{cite news|date=8 June 2009|title=Black Box: Locating Flight Recorder of Air France Flight 447 in Atlantic Ocean|work=Marine Buzz|url=http://www.marinebuzz.com/2009/06/08/black-box-locating-flight-recorder-of-air-france-flight-447-in-atlantic-ocean/|url-status=live|access-date=15 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090613023310/http://www.marinebuzz.com/2009/06/08/black-box-locating-flight-recorder-of-air-france-flight-447-in-atlantic-ocean/|archive-date=13 June 2009}}
France requested two "towed pinger locator hydrophones" from the United States Navy to help find the aircraft.{{sfn|BEA first|2009|loc=§1.16.1.3 "Resources deployed by France"}} The French nuclear submarine and two French-contracted ships (the Fairmount Expedition and the Fairmount Glacier, towing the U.S. Navy listening devices) trawled a search area with a radius of {{convert|80|km|mi}}, centred on the aircraft's last known position.{{cite news |title=Brazil ends search for Air France bodies |url=http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/brazil-ends-search-for-air-france-bodies-20090627-d069.html |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=27 June 2009 |access-date=27 June 2009 |quote=Brazil's military said it had ended its search for more bodies and debris ... The operation, which also had the help of French vessels and French, Spanish and US aircraft, recovered 51 bodies of the 228 people who were on board ... air force spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Henry Munoz told reporters in Recife late Friday. |archive-url=https://archive.today/20090627220719/http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/brazil-ends-search-for-air-france-bodies-20090627-d069.html |archive-date=27 June 2009 |url-status=live}}{{sfn|BEA first|2009|p=46}} By mid-July, recovery of the black boxes still had not been announced. The finite beacon battery life meant that, as the time since the crash elapsed, the likelihood of location diminished.{{cite news |title=Investigators say they have no confirmed black-box signals |url=http://www.france24.com/en/20090623-airbus-a330-air-france-crash-black-boxes-signal-located-monde-report |publisher=France 24.com |date=27 June 2009 |access-date=23 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626061559/http://www.france24.com/en/20090623-airbus-a330-air-france-crash-black-boxes-signal-located-monde-report |archive-date=26 June 2009 |url-status=dead }} In late July, the search for the black boxes entered its second phase, with a French research vessel resuming the search using a towed sonar array.{{cite news |title=Air France 447's black boxes: search to resume |url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0717/p02s16-woeu.html |work=The Christian Science Monitor |date=17 July 2009 |access-date=29 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090720201748/http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0717/p02s16-woeu.html |archive-date=20 July 2009 |url-status=live }} The second phase of the search ended on 20 August without finding wreckage within a {{convert|75|km|mi nmi}} radius of the last position, as reported at 02:10.{{cite press release |url=http://www.bea.aero/anglaise/actualite/af447/pressrelease20090820.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719081229/http://www.bea.aero/anglaise/actualite/af447/pressrelease20090820.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=19 July 2012 |title=Press release |publisher=BEA |date=20 August 2009 |access-date=31 August 2009}}
The third phase of the search for the recorders lasted from 2 April until 24 May 2010,{{cite web |title=Search ships head to new AF447 search zone |url=http://www.airfrance447.com/03/30/search-ships-head-to-new-af447-search-zone/ |date=30 March 2010 |access-date=2 April 2010 |publisher=airfrance447.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100421152336/http://www.airfrance447.com/03/30/search-ships-head-to-new-af447-search-zone/ |archive-date=21 April 2010 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news |title=Undersea Search Resumes for France Flight 447 |url=http://news.discovery.com/tech/undersea-search-resumes-for-france-flight-447.html |publisher=Discovery News|date=30 March 2010|access-date=2 April 2010|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100402221943/http://news.discovery.com/tech/undersea-search-resumes-for-france-flight-447.html| archive-date=2 April 2010| url-status= live}} and was conducted by two ships, the Anne Candies and the Seabed Worker. The Anne Candies towed a U.S. Navy sonar array, while the Seabed Worker operated three robot submarines AUV ABYSS (a REMUS AUV type).{{cite web|url=http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/operations.de.recherches.en.mer.phase.3.php |title=Sea Search Operations, Phase 3 |publisher=BEA |access-date=19 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219194629/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/operations.de.recherches.en.mer.phase.3.php |archive-date=19 December 2013}}{{cite web | url=http://www.geomar.de/en/centre/central-facilities/tlz/auv-abyss/1986/chronology-auv/ |title=Chronology AUV Abyss | publisher=GEOMAR | access-date=23 March 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140324014153/http://www.geomar.de/en/centre/central-facilities/tlz/auv-abyss/1986/chronology-auv/ |archive-date=24 March 2014 | url-status=live}}{{sfn|BEA final|2012|loc=§1.16.1.1}}{{cite news |date=13 December 2009 |title=Search for Flight 447 data recorders to resume |url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/12/13/air.france.investigation/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215044147/http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/12/13/air.france.investigation/index.html |archive-date=15 December 2009 |access-date=14 December 2009 |work=CNN}} Air France and Airbus jointly funded the third phase of the search.{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=11 March 2010 |title=Search for Air France black boxes delayed |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011316962_apeuairfrancecrashinvestigation.html |work=The Seattle Times |access-date=16 February 2011 |first=Greg |last=Keller |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622041310/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2011316962_apeuairfrancecrashinvestigation.html |archive-date=22 June 2011 |url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/world/europe/31plane.html|title=Airbus Offers to Pay for Extended Crash Search|last=Clark|first=Nicola|date=30 July 2009|work=The New York Times|access-date=1 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180126235741/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/31/world/europe/31plane.html|archive-date=26 January 2018|url-status=live}} The search covered an area of {{convert|6300|km2|sqmi sqnmi|sigfig=2|abbr=}}, mostly to the north and north-west of the aircraft's last known position.{{sfn|BEA final|2012|loc=§1.16.1.1}}{{cite news|last=Charlton |first=Angela |title=Victims' families cheer new search for Flight 447 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=AllBusiness.com |date=17 February 2010 |url=http://www.allbusiness.com/safety-accidents-disasters/accidents-aircraft/13943136-1.html |access-date=8 January 2011 }}{{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} The search area had been drawn up by oceanographers from France, Russia, Great Britain and the United States combining data on the location of floating bodies and wreckage, and currents in the mid-Atlantic in the days immediately after the crash.{{cite web |title=Estimating The Wreckage Location of the Rio-Paris AF447 |url=http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00027/13777/10915.pdf |work=BEA |date=30 June 2010 |access-date=22 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322104248/http://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00027/13777/10915.pdf |archive-date=22 March 2014 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-04/air-france-447-black-box-may-be-found-by-end-of-march-bea-says.html|title=Air France 447 Black Box May Be Found by End of March, BEA Says|last1=Frost|first1=Laurence|date=4 February 2010|work=Bloomberg BusinessWeek|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100207121859/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-04/air-france-447-black-box-may-be-found-by-end-of-march-bea-says.html|archive-date=7 February 2010|last2=Rothman|first2=Andrea}}{{Cite news |author=Frost |first1=Laurence |last2=Rothman |first2=Andrea |date=4 February 2010 |title=Air France Black-Box Search Narrowed by Fresh Data (Update1) |url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-04/air-france-black-box-search-narrowed-by-fresh-data-update1-.html |work=Bloomberg BusinessWeek}}{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} A smaller area to the south-west was also searched, based on a re-analysis of sonar recordings made by Émeraude the previous year.{{Cite web |last1=Julien |first1=Pierre |last2=Naudascher |first2=Marie |date=5 June 2015 |title=La zone des boîtes noires du vol Rio-Paris localisée |trans-title=Area of the black boxes from the Rio-Paris flight found |url=http://www.rtl.fr/actu/societe-faits-divers/la-zone-des-boites-noires-du-vol-rio-paris-localisee-5940064401 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705181544/http://www.rtl.fr/actu/societe-faits-divers/la-zone-des-boites-noires-du-vol-rio-paris-localisee-5940064401 |archive-date=5 July 2015 |website=RTL |language=fr}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2010/05/06/01016-20100506ARTFIG00705-l-af-447-avait-fait-demi-tour-pour-sortir-des-turbulences.php|title=L'AF 447 aurait fait demi-tour pour sortir des turbulences|date=6 May 2010|work=Le Figaro|access-date=8 May 2010|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100508231512/http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2010/05/06/01016-20100506ARTFIG00705-l-af-447-avait-fait-demi-tour-pour-sortir-des-turbulences.php|archive-date=8 May 2010|language=fr|trans-title=AF 447 would have turned around to get out of turbulence}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/05/12/341897/redirected-af447-search-fails-to-locate-a330-wreck.html |title=Redirected AF447 search fails to locate A330 wreck |access-date=16 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100516033917/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/05/12/341897/redirected-af447-search-fails-to-locate-a330-wreck.html |archive-date=16 May 2010 |url-status=live }} The third phase of the search ended on 24 May 2010 without any success, though the BEA says that the search 'nearly' covered the whole area drawn up by investigators.
=2011 search and recovery=
In July 2010, the U.S.-based search consultancy Metron, Inc., had been engaged to draw up a probability map of where to focus the search, based on prior probabilities from flight data and local condition reports, combined with the results from the previous searches. The Metron team used what it described as "classic" Bayesian search methods, an approach that had previously been successful in the search for the submarine {{USS|Scorpion|SSN-589|6}} and {{SS|Central America}}. Phase 4 of the search operation started close to the aircraft's last known position, which was identified by the Metron study as being the most likely resting place of flight 447.[http://www.informs.org/ORMS-Today/Public-Articles/August-Volume-38-Number-4/In-Search-of-Air-France-Flight-447 In search of Air France Flight 447] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130610104737/https://www.informs.org/ORMS-Today/Public-Articles/August-Volume-38-Number-4/In-Search-of-Air-France-Flight-447 |date=10 June 2013}} Lawrence D. Stone Institute of Operations Research and the Management Sciences 2011{{cite news |date=22 March 2014 |title=MH370 Malaysia plane: How maths helped find an earlier crash |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26680633 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322135901/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26680633 |archive-date=22 March 2014 |access-date=22 March 2014 |work=BBC News}}
File:Ile-de-Sein-2004.jpg {{MV|Île de Sein||2}} was assigned to assist in the recovery of materials from the ocean floor.]]
Within a week of resuming of the search operation, on 3 April 2011, a team led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution operating full ocean depth autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) owned by the Waitt Institute{{Cite web |title=Search for Air France Flight 447 |url=https://www.whoi.edu/multimedia/search-for-air-france-flight-447/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209025716/https://www.whoi.edu/multimedia/search-for-air-france-flight-447/ |archive-date=9 December 2021 |access-date=2021-12-09 |website=www.whoi.edu}} discovered, by means of sidescan sonar, a large portion of the debris field from flight AF447. Further debris and bodies, still trapped in the partly intact remains of the aircraft's fuselage, were at a depth of {{Convert|3980|m|fathom ft}}.{{sfn|BEA third|2011|loc=§1.12.1|ps=,"The site", p. 33}} The debris was found lying in a relatively flat and silty area of the ocean floor (as opposed to the extremely mountainous topography originally believed to be AF447's final resting place).{{Cite news|date=2014-03-22|title=MH370 Malaysia plane: How maths helped find an earlier crash|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26680633|access-date=2021-12-09|archive-date=9 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211209025714/https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-26680633|url-status=live}} Other items found were engines, wing parts and the landing gear.{{cite web |url=http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/images.du.site.php |title=Images of Flight 447 Engines, Wing, Fuselage, Landing Gear |publisher=BEA |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150930080704/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/images.du.site.php |archive-date=30 September 2015 |access-date=8 April 2011}}
The debris field was described as "quite compact", measuring {{convert|200|by|600|m|ft|sigfig=1}} and a short distance north of where pieces of wreckage had been recovered previously, suggesting the aircraft hit the water largely intact.{{Cite news|title=Air France plane crash victims found after two-year search|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/04/air-france-plane-crash-victims-found|date=4 April 2011|work=The Guardian|location=London|last=Willsher|first=Kim|access-date=16 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927155634/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/04/air-france-plane-crash-victims-found|archive-date=27 September 2016|url-status=live}} The French Ecology and Transportation Minister Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet stated the bodies and wreckage would be brought to the surface and taken to France for examination and identification.{{Cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/05/3182215.htm|title=Bodies found in Atlantic jet crash wreckage|agency=Reuters|date=4 April 2011|access-date=5 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110407123703/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/04/05/3182215.htm|archive-date=7 April 2011|url-status=dead}} The French government chartered the Île de Sein to recover the flight recorders from the wreckage.{{cite news|url=http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/pressrelease19april2011.en.php |title=Press release, 19 April 2011 |publisher=BEA |access-date=29 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140311181458/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/pressrelease19april2011.en.php |archive-date=11 March 2014 }}{{cite news |date=3 April 2011 |title=Bits of Air France Flight 447 found in Atlantic |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bits-of-air-france-flight-447-found-in-atlantic/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110404072321/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/04/03/501364/main20050223.shtml |archive-date=4 April 2011 |access-date=3 May 2011 |work=CBS News}} An American Remora 6000 remotely operated vehicle (ROV){{efn|The Remora 6000 remotely operated vehicle was designed and constructed by Phoenix International Holdings, Inc. of Largo, Maryland, United States.}} and operations crew from Phoenix International experienced in the recovery of aircraft for the United States Navy were on board the Île de Sein.{{cite web|title=Remora 6000 ROV Specifications|url=http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/remora6000.pdf|access-date=28 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919071731/http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/remora6000.pdf|archive-date=19 September 2011|url-status=live}}{{Cite press release |title=Press release, 19 April 2011 |date=19 April 2011 |publisher=Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |url=http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/pressrelease19april2011.php |access-date=23 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919041132/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/pressrelease19april2011.php |archive-date=19 September 2011}}
Île de Sein arrived at the crash site on 26 April, and during its first dive, the Remora 6000 found the flight data recorder chassis, although without the crash-survivable memory unit.{{cite web|title=Solid-State FDR System including Crash Survivable Memory Unit (CSMU)|url=http://www51.honeywell.com/aero/common/documents/Flight_Data_Recorder_(SSFDR).pdf|access-date=27 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002025451/http://www51.honeywell.com/aero/common/documents/Flight_Data_Recorder_(SSFDR).pdf|archive-date=2 October 2011|url-status=dead}}{{Cite press release |title=Press release, 27 April 2011 |date=27 April 2011 |publisher=Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |url=http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/info27april2011.en.php |access-date=27 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120518052113/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/info27april2011.en.php |archive-date=18 May 2012}} On 1 May the memory unit was found and lifted on board the Île de Sein by the ROV.{{cite web |title=Flight AF 447 on 1st June 2009 A330-203, registered F-GZCP Information, 1st May 2011 |url=http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/info01may2011.en.php |access-date=1 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110503065542/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/info01may2011.en.php |archive-date=3 May 2011 }} The aircraft's cockpit voice recorder was found on 2 May 2011, and was raised and brought on board the Île de Sein the following day.{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110503/wl_afp/francebrazilaviationaccidentairbusairfrance_20110503042942 |title=Investigators recover second Air France black box |date=2 May 2011 |work=Yahoo! News |access-date=1 May 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531044904/http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110503/wl_afp/francebrazilaviationaccidentairbusairfrance_20110503042942 |archive-date=31 May 2011 }}
On 7 May, the flight recorders, under judicial seal, were taken aboard the French Navy patrol boat La Capricieuse for transfer to the port of Cayenne. From there they were transported by air to the BEA's office in Le Bourget near Paris for data download and analysis. One engine and the avionics bay, containing onboard computers, had also been raised.{{cite web |url=http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/info09may2011.en.php |title=Flight AF 447 on 1 June 2009, A330-203, registered F-GZCP, 9 May 2011 briefing |publisher=BEA |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924002515/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/info09may2011.en.php |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=9 April 2011}}
By 15 May, all the data from both the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder had been downloaded.{{Rp|20}}{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/05/16/356711/af447-flight-data-and-cockpit-voice-recorder-data-is.html | title=AF447 flight-data and cockpit-voice recorder data is readable|last=Kaminski-Morrow|first=David|work=Flightglobal|date=16 May 2011|access-date=16 May 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110522011204/http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/05/16/356711/af447-flight-data-and-cockpit-voice-recorder-data-is.html| archive-date= 22 May 2011| url-status= live}} The data was analysed over the following weeks, and the findings published in the third interim report at the end of July.{{cite web |date=16 May 2011 |title=16 May 2011 briefing |url=http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/info16may2011.en.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208095317/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/info16may2011.en.php |archive-date=8 February 2012 |access-date=17 May 2011 |work=Bea.aero |publisher=Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety}} The entire download was filmed and recorded.
Between 5 May and 3 June 2011, 104 bodies were recovered from the wreckage, bringing the total number of bodies found to 154. Fifty bodies had been previously recovered from the sea.{{sfn|BEA second|2009|loc=§1.13}}{{cite news|url=http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2011/05/05/rio-paris-bodies-be-retrieved|title=Rio-Paris bodies to be retrieved|date=5 May 2011|agency=Agence France-Presse|access-date=10 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170411142054/http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2011/05/05/rio-paris-bodies-be-retrieved|archive-date=11 April 2017|url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-04/air-france-crash-crew-to-attempt-body-recovery-from-wreckage.html|title=Air France Victim's Body Recovered|last1=Frost|first1=Laurence|date=5 May 2011|newspaper=Bloomberg News|access-date=5 May 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110508031033/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-04/air-france-crash-crew-to-attempt-body-recovery-from-wreckage.html|archive-date=8 May 2011|publisher=Bloomberg|last2=Rothman|first2=Andrea}} The search ended with the remaining 74 bodies still not recovered.{{cite news |last=Vandoorne |first=Saskya |date=8 June 2011 |title=Air France crash recovery ends with 74 bodies missing |work=CNN |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/06/08/france.jet.crash/index.html |url-status=dead |access-date=8 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609042721/http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/06/08/france.jet.crash/index.html |archive-date=9 June 2011}}
Investigation and safety improvements
The French authorities opened two investigations.
A criminal investigation for manslaughter began on 5 June 2009, under the supervision of Investigating Magistrate Sylvie Zimmerman from the Paris High Court ({{Langx|fr|Tribunal de Grande Instance}}).{{cite news |date=5 June 2009 |title=Vol AF 447: ouverture d'une information judiciaire |trans-title=Flight AF 447: opening of a judicial investigation |url=http://www.europe1.fr/Info/Actualite-France/Faits-divers/La-disparition-du-vol-AF-447-Rio-Paris/Vol-AF-447-ouverture-d-une-information-judiciaire/(gid)/227268 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090614053537/http://www.europe1.fr/Info/Actualite-France/Faits-divers/La-disparition-du-vol-AF-447-Rio-Paris/Vol-AF-447-ouverture-d-une-information-judiciaire/%28gid%29/227268 |archive-date=14 June 2009 |work=Europe 1 |language=fr}} The judge gave the investigation to the National Gendarmerie ({{Langx|fr|Gendarmerie nationale}}), which would conduct it through its aerial transportation division (Air transport police, {{Langx|fr|Gendarmerie des transports aériens}} or GTA) and its forensic research institute (the National Gendarmerie Institute for Criminal Research, {{Langx|fr|Institut de recherche criminelle de la gendarmerie nationale}}).{{cite web|date=June 2009|title=Vol AF447 : la Gendarmerie enquête|trans-title=Flight AF447: the Gendarmerie is investigating|url=http://www.gendarmerie.interieur.gouv.fr/fre/sites/Gendarmerie/Actus/2009/Juin/VOL-AF447-la-gendarmerie-enquete|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20090617064031/http://www.gendarmerie.interieur.gouv.fr/fre/sites/Gendarmerie/Actus/2009/Juin/VOL-AF447-la-gendarmerie-enquete|archive-date=17 June 2009|publisher=French Gendarmerie|language=fr}} As part of the criminal investigation, the DGSE (the external French intelligence agency) examined the names of passengers on board for any possible links to terrorist groups.{{cite news|last=Allen|first=Peter|date=10 June 2009|title=Terror Names Linked To Doomed Flight AF 447|publisher=Sky News|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Terror-Names-Linked-To-Doomed-Flight-AF-447-Two-Passengers-Shared-Names-Of-Radical-Muslims/Article/200906215300405?lpos=World_News_First_Home_Article_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15300405_Terror_Names_Linked_To_Doomed_Flight_AF_447%3A_Two_Passengers_Shared_Names_Of_Radical_Muslims|url-status=dead|access-date=8 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090613004357/http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Terror-Names-Linked-To-Doomed-Flight-AF-447-Two-Passengers-Shared-Names-Of-Radical-Muslims/Article/200906215300405?lpos=World_News_First_Home_Article_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15300405_Terror_Names_Linked_To_Doomed_Flight_AF_447%3A_Two_Passengers_Shared_Names_Of_Radical_Muslims|archive-date=13 June 2009}} In March 2011, a French judge filed preliminary manslaughter charges against Air France and Airbus over the crash.{{cite news |date=18 March 2011 |title=Air France charged in Rio flight crash investigation |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12785906 |url-status=live |access-date=18 March 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110318233359/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12785906 |archive-date=18 March 2011}} The cases against Air France and Airbus were dropped in 2019 and 2011 respectively.
A technical investigation was started, the goal of which was to enhance the safety of future flights. In accordance with the provisions of ICAO Annex 13, the BEA participated in the investigation as representative for the state (country) of manufacture of the Airbus.{{cite press release |title=Press release 1 June 2009 |date=1 June 2009 |publisher=BEA |url=https://www.bea.aero/en/investigation-reports/notified-events/detail/event/accident-dun-airbus-a330-203-immatricule-f-gzcp-et-exploite-par-la-compagnie-air-france-sest-abime/ |access-date=8 October 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171008131658/https://www.bea.aero/en/investigation-reports/notified-events/detail/event/accident-dun-airbus-a330-203-immatricule-f-gzcp-et-exploite-par-la-compagnie-air-france-sest-abime/ |archive-date=8 October 2017}} The Brazilian Air Force's Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center (CENIPA), the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU), the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB), and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also became involved in accordance with these provisions; the NTSB became involved as the representative of the state of manufacture of the General Electric turbine engines installed on the plane, and the other representatives could supply important information. The People's Republic of China, Croatia, Hungary, Republic of Ireland, Italy, Lebanon, Morocco, Norway, South Korea, Russia, South Africa, and Switzerland appointed observers, since citizens of those countries were on board.{{cite web |title=Organisation of the technical investigation |url=http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/organisation.of.investigation.af447.en.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208113654/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/organisation.of.investigation.af447.en.pdf |archive-date=8 February 2012 |access-date=24 June 2011 |publisher=Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety}} (translation from the [http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/organisation.enquete.af447.fr.pdf French original] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120327061121/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/organisation.enquete.af447.fr.pdf|date=27 March 2012}})
On 5 June 2009, the BEA cautioned against premature speculation as to the cause of the crash. At that time, the investigation had established only two facts—the weather near the aircraft's planned route included significant convective cells typical of the equatorial regions, and the speeds measured by the three pitot tubes differed from each other during the last few minutes of the flight.{{Cite press release|title=Flight AF 447 on 31 May 2009|date=5 June 2009|publisher=BEA|url=http://www.bea.aero/anglaise/actualite/pressrelease20090605.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120724172013/http://www.bea.aero/anglaise/actualite/pressrelease20090605.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 July 2012|access-date=6 June 2009|quote=A large quantity of more or less accurate information and attempts at explanations concerning the accident are currently being circulated. The BEA reminds those concerned that in such circumstances, it is advisable to avoid all hasty interpretations and speculation on the basis of partial or non-validated information. At this stage of the investigation, the only established facts are:
· the presence near the airplane's planned route over the Atlantic of significant convective cells typical of the equatorial regions;
· based on the analysis of the automatic messages broadcast by the plane, there are inconsistencies between the various speeds measured.}}
On 2 July 2009, the BEA released an intermediate report, which described all known facts, and a summary of the visual examination of the rudder and the other parts of the aircraft that had been recovered at that time.{{sfn|BEA first|2009|pp=37–40}} According to the BEA, this examination showed:
- The airliner was likely to have struck the surface of the sea in a normal flight attitude, with a high rate of descent;{{efn|The airliner was considered to be in a nearly level attitude, but with a high rate of descent when it collided with the surface of the ocean. That impact caused high deceleration and compression forces on the airliner, as shown by the deformations that were found in the recovered wreckage.}}{{sfn|BEA first|2009|pp=38–40}}{{Cite news |title=Air France Jet 'Did Not Break Up in Mid-Air' |work=Air France Crash: First Official Airbus A330 Report Due By Air Investigations And Analysis Office |publisher=Sky News |date=2 July 2009 |url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Air-France-Crash-First-Official-Airbus-A330-Report-Due-By-Air-Investigations-And-Analysis-Office/Article/200907115327638?lpos=World_News_Air_France_First_Article_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15327638_Air_France_Crash%3A_First_Official_Airbus_A330_Report_Due_By_Air_Investigations_And_Analysis_Office |access-date=8 January 2011 |archive-date=12 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212030046/https://news.sky.com/?lpos=World_News_Air_France_First_Article_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15327638_Air_France_Crash%3A_First_Official_Airbus_A330_Report_Due_By_Air_Investigations_And_Analysis_Office |url-status=live }}
- No signs of any fires or explosions were found.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}
- The airliner did not break up in flight.{{sfn|BEA first|2009|p=71}} The report also stresses that the BEA had not had access to the post mortem reports at the time of its writing.{{sfn|BEA first|2009|p=40}}{{cite web|year=2009|title=Vol AF 447 du 1er juin 2009, A330-203, immatriculé F-GZCP|trans-title=Flight AF 447 of 1stJune 2009, A330-203, registered F-GZCP"|url=http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/vol.af.447.php|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531151758/http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/vol.af.447.php|archive-date=31 May 2011|access-date=8 January 2011|publisher=Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety|location=France|language=fr}}
On 16 May 2011, Le Figaro reported that the BEA investigators had ruled out an aircraft malfunction as the cause of the crash, according to preliminary information extracted from the FDR.{{Cite news|url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2011/05/16/97001-20110516FILWWW00708-info-le-figaro-af-447-airbus-mis-hors-de-cause-par-les-boites-noires.php|title=Info Le Figaro – AF 447: Airbus mis hors de cause par les boîtes noires|date=16 May 2011|work=Le Figaro|access-date=16 May 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518232800/http://www.lefigaro.fr/flash-actu/2011/05/16/97001-20110516FILWWW00708-info-le-figaro-af-447-airbus-mis-hors-de-cause-par-les-boites-noires.php|archive-date=18 May 2011|language=fr|trans-title=Info Le Figaro – AF447: Airbus put out of action by black boxes}} The following day, the BEA issued a press release explicitly describing the Le Figaro report as a "sensationalist publication of non-validated information". The BEA stated that no conclusions had been made, investigations were continuing, and no interim report was expected before the summer."[http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/pressrelease17may2011.en.php Flight AF 447 on 1 June 2009 A330-203, registered F-GZCP Press release on 17 May 2011] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110919042411/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/pressrelease17may2011.en.php |date=19 September 2011 }}." Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses pour la Sécurité de l'Aviation Civile. 17 May 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011. On 18 May, the head of the investigation further stated no major malfunction of the aircraft had been found so far in the data from the flight data recorder, but that minor malfunctions had not been ruled out.{{cite news|date=18 May 2011|title=Vol Rio-Paris: L'enquête ne montre pas de dysfonctionnements majeurs de l'Airbus|language=fr|trans-title=Rio-Paris flight: The investigation does not show any major dysfunctions of the Airbus|work=Le Télégramme|url=http://www.letelegramme.com/ig/dossiers/af447/vol-rio-paris-l-enquete-ne-montre-pas-de-dysfonctionnements-majeurs-de-l-airbus-18-05-2011-1305758.php|url-status=live|access-date=18 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523232615/http://www.letelegramme.com/ig/dossiers/af447/vol-rio-paris-l-enquete-ne-montre-pas-de-dysfonctionnements-majeurs-de-l-airbus-18-05-2011-1305758.php|archive-date=23 May 2011}}
=Airspeed inconsistency=
In the minutes before its disappearance, the aircraft's onboard systems sent a number of messages via the ACARS indicating disagreement in the indicated airspeed readings. A spokesperson for the BEA claimed, "the airspeed of the aircraft was unclear" to the pilots and, on 4 June 2009, Airbus issued an Accident Information Telex to operators of all its aircraft reminding pilots of the recommended abnormal and emergency procedures to be taken in the case of unreliable airspeed indication.{{cite news|last=Wald|first=Matthew L.|date=4 June 2009|title=Clues Point to Speed Issues in Air France Crash|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/world/europe/05plane.html|url-status=live|access-date=6 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323194437/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/05/world/europe/05plane.html|archive-date=23 March 2014|issn=0362-4331}} French Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau said, "Obviously, the pilots [of Flight 447] did not have the [correct] speed showing, which can lead to two bad consequences for the life of the aircraft: under-speed, which can lead to a stall, and over-speed, which can lead to the aircraft breaking up because it is approaching the speed of sound and the structure of the plane is not made for resisting such speeds".{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/air-france-searchers-recover-16-bodies-p2kqjbt2h92 |title=Air France searchers recover 16 bodies |last=Bremner |first=Charles |date=8 June 2009 |work=The Times |location=UK |language=en}}
==Pitot tubes==
Between May 2008 and March 2009, nine incidents involving the temporary loss of airspeed indication appeared in the air safety reports (ASRs) for Air France's A330/A340 fleet. All occurred in cruise between flight levels FL310 and FL380. Further, after the Flight 447 accident, Air France identified six additional incidents that had not been reported on ASRs. These were intended for maintenance aircraft technical logs drawn up by the pilots to describe these incidents only partially, to indicate the characteristic symptoms of the incidents associated with unreliable airspeed readings.{{Reference page|page=122}}{{cite news |date=6 June 2009 |title=Lost plane 'sent 24 error alerts' |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8086860.stm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608015536/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8086860.stm |archive-date=8 June 2009 |access-date=8 June 2009 |work=BBC News |quote=Paul-Louis Arslanian, of France's air accident investigation agency: 'We have seen a certain number of these types of faults on the A330... There is a programme of replacement, of improvement'}} The problems primarily occurred in 2007 on the A320, but awaiting a recommendation from Airbus, Air France delayed installing new pitot tubes on A330/A340 and increased inspection frequencies in these aircraft.{{cite news |title=Air France probe focuses on airspeed instruments |work=Otago Daily Times |agency=Associated Press |date=7 June 2009 |url=http://www.odt.co.nz/news/world/60099/air-france-probe-focuses-airspeed-instruments |url-status=live |access-date=7 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110609035118/http://www.odt.co.nz/news/world/60099/air-france-probe-focuses-airspeed-instruments |archive-date=9 June 2011}} Alain Bouillard: "They hadn't yet been replaced on the plane that crashed". Paul-Louis Arslanian: "It does not mean that without replacing the probes that the A330 was dangerous."{{cite press release |url=http://alphasite.airfrance.com/flight-air-france-447-rio-de-janeiro-paris-charles-de-gaulle/press-releases/?L=1#communique2651 |title=Flight Air France 447 Rio De Janeiro-Paris Charles De Gaulle – Press release N° 12: Update on anemometric sensors |publisher=Air France |access-date=5 March 2011 |quote=Malfunctions in the pitot probes on the A320 led the manufacturer to issue a recommendation in September 2007 to change the probes. This recommendation also applies to long-haul aircraft using the same probes and on which a very few incidents of a similar nature had occurred. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722002443/http://alphasite.airfrance.com/flight-air-france-447-rio-de-janeiro-paris-charles-de-gaulle/press-releases/?L=1#communique2651 |archive-date=22 July 2010 |url-status=live}}
When it was introduced in 1994, the Airbus A330 was equipped with pitot tubes, part number 0851GR, manufactured by Goodrich Sensors and Integrated Systems. A 2001 Airworthiness Directive (AD) required these to be replaced with either a later Goodrich design, part number 0851HL, or with pitot tubes made by Thales, part number C16195AA.{{cite web|id=2001-353|title=Navigation – Pitot probes (ATA 34)|publisher=EASA|url=http://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/F-2001-353|date=18 August 2001|access-date=13 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713184113/http://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/F-2001-353|archive-date=13 July 2015|url-status=live}} Air France chose to equip its fleet with the Thales pitot tubes. In September 2007, Airbus recommended that Thales C16195AA pitot tubes should be replaced by Thales model C16195BA to address the problem of water ingress that had been observed.{{sfn|BEA second|2009|loc=§1.18.7 pp. 65–67}} Since it was not an AD, the guidelines allowed the operator to apply the recommendations at its discretion. Air France implemented the change on its A320 fleet, on which the incidents of water ingress were observed, and decided to do so in its A330/340 fleet only when failures started to occur in May 2008.{{cite web | url=http://alphasite.airfrance.com/flight-air-france-447-rio-de-janeiro-paris-charles-de-gaulle/press-releases/?L=1#communique2651 | title=Press release no. 12: Update on anemometric sensors | publisher=Air France | date=6 June 2009 | access-date=11 April 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722002443/http://alphasite.airfrance.com/flight-air-france-447-rio-de-janeiro-paris-charles-de-gaulle/press-releases/?L=1#communique2651 | archive-date=22 July 2010 | url-status=live}}{{Cite press release |url= http://alphasite.airfrance.com/flight-air-france-447-rio-de-janeiro-paris-charles-de-gaulle/press-releases/?L=1#communique2651 |title= Flight Air France 447 Rio De Janeiro-Paris Charles De Gaulle – Press release N° 12: Update on anemometric sensors |publisher= Air France |access-date= 5 March 2011 |quote= Starting in May 2008, Air France experienced incidents involving a loss of airspeed data in flight... in cruise phase on A340s and A330s. These incidents were analysed with Airbus as resulting from pitot probe icing for a few minutes, after which the phenomenon disappeared. |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100722002443/http://alphasite.airfrance.com/flight-air-france-447-rio-de-janeiro-paris-charles-de-gaulle/press-releases/?L=1#communique2651 |archive-date= 22 July 2010 |url-status= live}}
After discussing these issues with the manufacturer, Air France sought a means of reducing these incidents, and Airbus indicated that the new pitot probe designed for the A320 was not designed to prevent cruise-level ice-over. In 2009, tests suggested that the new probe could improve its reliability, prompting Air France to accelerate the replacement program, which started on 29 May. F-GZCP was scheduled to have its pitot tubes replaced as soon as it returned to Paris.{{sfn|Palmer|2013|p=53}} By 17 June 2009, Air France had replaced all pitot probes on its A330 type aircraft.{{cite web|url=http://corporate.airfrance.com/en/press/af447/pitot-probes/ |title=AF447 Pitot probes |publisher=Air France |access-date=22 October 2011 |quote=By 12 June, all the Airbus A320s, A330s, and A340s operated by Air France were equipped with Thales BA probes. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003164815/http://corporate.airfrance.com/en/press/af447/pitot-probes/ |archive-date=3 October 2011 }}
In July 2009, Airbus issued new advice to A330 and A340 operators to exchange Thales pitot tubes for tubes from Goodrich.{{Cite news |last=Samuel |first=Henry |title=Airlines ordered to replace speed probes linked to Air France crash |work=The Telegraph |location=London |date=31 July 2009 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/5949666/Airlines-ordered-to-replace-speed-probes-linked-to-Air-France-crash.html |access-date=1 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090803175646/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/5949666/Airlines-ordered-to-replace-speed-probes-linked-to-Air-France-crash.html |archive-date=3 August 2009 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Cody |first=Edward |title=Airbus Recommends Airlines Replace Speed Sensors |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=31 July 2009 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/31/AR2009073101195.html |access-date=1 August 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108151604/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/31/AR2009073101195.html |archive-date=8 November 2012 |url-status=live }}{{cite web|url=http://alphasite.airfrance.com/s01/communiques-de-presse/?L=1#communique2651|title=Flight Air France 447: List of all published press releases|publisher=Air France|access-date=22 October 2011|location=Paris|date=31 July 2009|quote=Pitot Sensors: Air France has received the recommendation from Airbus concerning the replacement of two Thalès probes by Goodrich probes on its long-haul A330/A340 aircraft. The technical instructions for the replacement of these probes will be available next week, after which Air France will proceed to modify its fleet of A330s and A340s.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923130821/http://alphasite.airfrance.com/s01/communiques-de-presse/?L=1#communique2651|archive-date=23 September 2011|url-status=live}}
On 12 August 2009, Airbus issued three mandatory service bulletins, requiring that all A330 and A340 aircraft be fitted with two Goodrich 0851HL pitot tubes and one Thales model C16195BA pitot (or, alternatively, three of the Goodrich pitot tubes); Thales model C16195AA pitot tubes were no longer to be used.{{cite web|id=2009-0195|title=Navigation – Airspeed Pitot Probes – Replacement|publisher=EASA|url=http://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/2009-0195|date=31 August 2009|access-date=22 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406161309/http://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/2009-0195|archive-date=6 April 2012|url-status=live}}{{Reference page|page=216}} This requirement was incorporated into ADs issued by the European Aviation Safety Agency on 31 August and by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on 3 September.{{Cite news|url=http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-21368.htm|title=FAA Airworthiness Directive FR Doc E9-21368|access-date=3 September 2009|quote=This AD requires replacing Thales Avionics pitot probes having P/N C16195AA and P/N C16195BA at positions 1 (captain) and 3 (standby) with Goodrich pitot probes having P/N 0851HL at positions 1 and 3. This AD also requires replacing Thales Avionics pitot probes having P/N C16195AA at position 2 (first officer) with Thales Avionics pitot probes having P/N C16195BA at position 2. In addition, this AD provides for optional installation of Goodrich pitot probes having P/N 0851HL at position 2.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090906105226/http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/E9-21368.htm|archive-date=6 September 2009|url-status=live}} [http://content.atp.com/ADs/pdf/091808.pdf Alternate location] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425083206/http://content.atp.com/ADs/pdf/091808.pdf |date=25 April 2012}}. The replacement was to be completed by 7 January 2010.{{Cn|date=May 2025}} According to the FAA, in its Federal Register publication, use of the Thales model has resulted in "reports of airspeed indication discrepancies while flying at high altitudes in inclement weather conditions" that "could result in reduced control of the airplane."{{Cn|date=May 2025}} The FAA further stated that the Thales model probe "has not yet demonstrated the same level of robustness to withstand high-altitude ice crystals as Goodrich pitot probes P/N 0851HL."{{Cn|date=May 2025}}
On 20 December 2010, Airbus issued a warning to roughly 100 operators of A330, A340-200, and A340-300 aircraft regarding pitot tubes, advising pilots not to re-engage the autopilot following failure of the airspeed indicators.{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/airbus-gives-new-warning-on-speed-sensors-1.949982 |title=Airbus gives new warning on speed sensors |publisher=CBC News |agency=Associated Press |date=21 December 2010 |access-date=5 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101224064435/https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/airbus-gives-new-warning-on-speed-sensors-1.949982 |archive-date=24 December 2010 |url-status=live}}{{cite news |url=http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=e78517ed-7eb7-4dd7-9a01-19ceaf24c918 |title=Airbus Document Acknowledges Pitot Problem |work=Aero News Network |date=22 December 2010 |access-date=6 January 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150626173719/http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=e78517ed-7eb7-4dd7-9a01-19ceaf24c918 |archive-date=26 June 2015 |url-status=live}}{{cite news|url=http://www.aviationtoday.com/regions/sa/Airbus-Issues-Pitot-Tube-Warning_72053.html|title=Airbus Issues Pitot Tube Warning|work=Aviation Today|date=3 January 2011|access-date=6 January 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923181212/http://www.aviationtoday.com/regions/sa/Airbus-Issues-Pitot-Tube-Warning_72053.html|archive-date=23 September 2015}} Safety recommendations issued by BEA for pitot probes design, recommended, "they must be fitted with a heating system designed to prevent any malfunctioning due to icing. Appropriate means must be provided (visual warning directly visible to the crew) to inform the crew of any nonfunctioning of the heating system".{{Reference page|page=137}}
=Findings from the flight data recorder=
On 27 May 2011, the BEA released an update on its investigation describing the history of the flight as recorded by the FDR. This confirmed what had previously been concluded from post mortem examination of the bodies and debris recovered from the ocean surface; the aircraft had not broken up at altitude, but had fallen into the ocean intact.{{sfn|BEA first|2009 |page=71}} The FDRs also revealed that the aircraft's descent into the sea was not due to mechanical failure or the aircraft being overwhelmed by the weather, but because the flight crew had raised the aircraft's nose, reducing its speed until it entered an aerodynamic stall.
While the inconsistent airspeed data caused the disengagement of the autopilot, the reason the pilots lost control of the aircraft had remained a mystery, in particular because pilots would normally try to lower the nose in the event of a stall.{{cite web|url=https://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2011/05/blaring-alarms-confused-doomed.html|title=Report on Air France 447 crash deepens mystery|last=Marks|first=Paul|date=27 May 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120529063209/http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2011/05/blaring-alarms-confused-doomed.html|archive-date=29 May 2012|access-date=28 May 2011}}{{cite news|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2011/05/27/357307/af447-stalled-but-crew-maintained-nose-up-attitude.html|title=AF447 stalled but crew maintained nose-up attitude|last=Kaminski-Morrow|first=David|date=27 May 2011|work=Flight International|access-date=29 May 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121105032516/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/af447-stalled-but-crew-maintained-nose-up-attitude-357307/|archive-date=5 November 2012}}{{cite news|url=http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2011/05/27/rio-paris-l-ombre-d-une-erreur-de-pilotage_1528483_3224.html#ens_id=1513709|title=Rio-Paris : l'ombre d'une erreur de pilotage|date=27 May 2011|work=Le Monde|language=fr|trans-title=Rio-Paris: the shadow of a steering error|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530163439/http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2011/05/27/rio-paris-l-ombre-d-une-erreur-de-pilotage_1528483_3224.html#ens_id=1513709|archive-date=30 May 2011|access-date=30 May 2011}} Multiple sensors provide the pitch information and no indication was given that any of them were malfunctioning.{{cite web|url=http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/26821/|title=Flight 447's Fatal Attitude Problem|last=Talbot|first=David|date=27 May 2011|work=Technology Review|access-date=6 June 2011|archive-date=1 June 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110601003924/http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/26821/|url-status=live}} One factor may be that since the A330 does not normally accept control inputs that would cause a stall, the pilots were unaware that a stall could happen when the aircraft switched to an alternative mode because of failure of the airspeed indication.{{efn|Some reports have described this as a deep stall,{{Cite news|url = http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/air_france_447_investigators_stall_crash_204730-1.html|title = Air France 447 – How Did This Happen?|access-date = 30 May 2011|last = Pew|first = Glenn|date = May 2011|work = AvWeb|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110603073124/http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/air_france_447_investigators_stall_crash_204730-1.html|archive-date = 3 June 2011|url-status = live}} but this was a steady state conventional stall.{{cite news|first=Bethany|last=Whitfield|title=Air France 447 Stalled at High Altitude, Official BEA Report Confirms|url=http://www.flyingmag.com/news/air-france-447-stalled-high-altitude-official-bea-report-confirms|work=Flying|date=27 May 2011|access-date=17 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928092009/http://www.flyingmag.com/news/air-france-447-stalled-high-altitude-official-bea-report-confirms|archive-date=28 September 2011|url-status=live}} A deep stall is associated with an aircraft with a T-tail, but this aircraft does not have a T-tail.{{cite news|author=Peter Garrison|title=Air France 447: Was it a Deep Stall?|url=http://www.flyingmag.com/news/air-france-447-was-it-deep-stall|work=Flying|date=1 June 2011|access-date=18 October 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928092254/http://www.flyingmag.com/news/air-france-447-was-it-deep-stall|archive-date=28 September 2011|url-status=live}} The BEA described it as a "sustained stall".{{sfn|BEA final|2012|p=200}} }}
In October 2011, a transcript of the CVR was leaked and published in the book Erreurs de Pilotage (Pilot Errors) by Jean Pierre Otelli.{{sfn|Otelli|2011}} The BEA and Air France both condemned the release of this information, with Air France calling it "sensationalized and unverifiable information" that "impairs the memory of the crew and passengers who lost their lives."{{cite news |last=Gilbert |first=Dave |date=14 October 2011 |title=AF447 pilot: 'Damn it, we're going to crash' |url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/14/world/americas/af447-transcript/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217122339/http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/14/world/americas/af447-transcript |archive-date=17 February 2013 |access-date=14 October 2011 |work=CNN}} The BEA subsequently released its final report on the accident, and Appendix 1 contained an official CVR transcript that did not include groups of words deemed to have no bearing on flight.{{harvnb|BEA_final_appx2|2012}}
| class="wikitable" |
| style="background:#ffdead;" colspan="4"|Leaked transcript of cockpit voice recorder |
|---|
| Time
!Speaker !French !English translation |
| style="background:antiquewhite"|02:02:00
|colspan="3" style="background:antiquewhite" | The captain leaves the flight deck to take a nap, leaving the considerably lesser experienced of the two co-pilots in command. |
| 02:03:44
|Bonin |La convergence inter tropicale… voilà, là on est dedans, entre 'Salpu' et 'Tasil.' Et puis, voilà, on est en plein dedans… |The inter-tropical convergence... look, we're in it, between 'Salpu' and 'Tasil'.SALPU and TASIL are waypoints And then, look, we're right in it... |
| 02:05:55
|Robert |Oui, on va les appeler derrière... pour leur dire quand même parce que... |Yes, let's call them in the back, to let them know anyway, because... |
| 02:05:59
|Flight attendant |Oui? Marilyn. |Yes? Marilyn here. |
| 02:06:04
|Bonin |Oui, Marilyn, c'est Pierre devant... Dis-moi, dans deux minutes, on devrait attaquer une zone où ça devrait bouger un peu plus que maintenant. Il faudrait vous méfier là. |Yeah, Marilyn - it's Pierre up front... Listen, in two minutes, we're going to be getting into an area where things are going to be moving around a little bit more than now. You'll want to take care. |
| 02:06:13
|Flight attendant |D'accord, on s'assoit alors? |Okay, we should sit down then? |
| 02:06:15
|Bonin |Bon, je pense que ce serait pas mal… tu préviens les copains! |Well, I think that's not a bad idea. Give your friends a heads-up. |
| 02:06:18
|Flight attendant |Ouais, OK, j'appelle les autres derrière. Merci beaucoup. |Yeah, okay, I'll tell the others in the back. Thanks a lot. |
| 02:06:19
|Bonin |Mais je te rappelle dès qu'on est sorti de là. |I'll call you back as soon as we're out of it. |
| 02:06:20
|Flight attendant |OK |OK |
| 02:06:50
|Bonin |Va pour les anti-ice. C'est toujours ça de pris. |Let's go for the anti-icing system. It's better than nothing. |
| 02:07:00
|Bonin |On est apparemment à la limite de la couche, ça devrait aller. |We seem to be at the end of the cloud layer, it might be okay. |
| 02:08:03
|Robert |Tu peux éventuellement le tirer un peu à gauche. |You can possibly pull it a little to the left. |
| 02:08:05
|Bonin |Excuse-moi? |Sorry, what? |
| 02:08:07
|Robert |Tu peux éventuellement prendre un peu à gauche. On est d'accord qu'on est en manuel, hein? |You can possibly pull it a little to the left. We're agreed that we're in manual, yeah? |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" | A gong sounds indicating that the autopilot has disconnected (because the pitot tubes have iced over). |
| 02:10:06
|Bonin |J'ai les commandes. |I have the controls. |
| 02:10:07
|Robert |D'accord. |Okay. |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" | Bonin takes the aircraft into a steep climb; A chime alerts the crew that they are leaving their designated altitude. This is followed by a stall warning and a loud warning sound called a "cricket". |
| 02:10:07
|Robert |Qu'est-ce que c'est que ça? |What's this? |
| 02:10:15
|Bonin |On n'a pas une bonne… On n'a pas une bonne annonce de vitesse. |There's no good... there's no good speed indication. |
| 02:10:16
|Robert |On a perdu les, les, les vitesses alors? |We've lost the, the, the speeds, then? |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" | The aircraft is climbing at 7,000 ft per minute, slowing all the time until its speed is only {{convert|93|knot|km/h}} |
| 02:10:27
|Robert |Faites attention à ta vitesse. Faites attention à ta vitesse. |Pay attention to your speed. Pay attention to your speed. |
| 02:10:28
|Bonin |OK, OK, je redescends. |Okay, okay, I'm descending. |
| 02:10:30
|Robert |Tu stabilises... |Stabilize it... |
| 02:10:31
|Bonin |Ouais. |Yeah. |
| 02:10:31
|Robert |Tu redescends... On est en train de monter selon lui… Selon lui, tu montes, donc tu redescends. |Bring it down... It says we're going up... It says we're going up, so descend. |
| 02:10:35
|Bonin |D'accord. |Okay. |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" |As the de-icing system takes effect, one of the pitot tubes starts working again, and the cockpit displays again show correct speed information |
| 02:10:36
|Robert |Redescends! |Get it down! |
| 02:10:37
|Bonin |C'est parti, on redescend. |Here we go, we're descending. |
| 02:10:38
|Robert |Doucement! |Gently! |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" | Bonin decreases his backward pressure on the stick, and stall warnings stop as the airspeed increases |
| 02:10:41
|Bonin |On est en… ouais, on est en "climb." |We're... yeah, we're climbing. |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" | Bonin does not push the nose down. Robert presses a button to call the captain. |
| 02:10:49
|Robert |Putain, il est où... euh? |Son of a bitch, where is he? |
| 02:10:55
|Robert |Putain! |Damn it! |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" | The other pitot tube starts working again; all aircraft systems are once again functional, and the pilots simply have to push the nose down to recover the aircraft from its stall. |
| 02:11:03
|Bonin |Je suis en TOGA, hein? |I'm in TOGA [Takeoff/Go-around mode], huh? |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" | Bonin is attempting to increase speed and climb as if taking off or aborting a landing, but he is at 37,500 ft where this maneuver is inappropriate. |
| 02:11:06
|Robert |Putain, il vient ou il vient pas? |Damn it, is he coming or isn't he? |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" | The aircraft reaches its maximum altitude; with the nose up at 18 degrees, it begins to descend. |
| 02:11:21
|Robert |On a pourtant les moteurs! Qu'est-ce qui se passe bordel? Je ne comprends pas ce que se passe. |We still have the engines! What the hell is happening? I don't understand what's going on. |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" | Crew resource management fails as Robert is unaware that Bonin is still pulling back hard on his stick as the two pilots' controls are not physically linked so that they move together. Buffeting as the aircraft is falling makes it difficult to keep the wings level. |
| 02:11:32
|Bonin |Putain, j'ai plus le contrôle de l'avion, là! J'ai plus le contrôle de l'avion! |Son of a bitch, I don't have control of the plane, I don't have control of the plane at all! |
| 02:11:37
|Robert |Commandes à gauche! |Control to the left! |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" | The more senior co-pilot briefly takes control, but is unaware that the aircraft has stalled. Bonin retakes control as the captain returns. |
| 02:11:43
|Captain |Eh… Qu'est-ce que vous foutez? |Eh... What are you up to? |
| 02:11:45
|Bonin |On perd le contrôle de l'avion, là! |We've lost control of the plane! |
| 02:11:47
|Robert |On a totalement perdu le contrôle de l'avion... On comprend rien... On a tout tenté... |We've totally lost control of the plane. We don't understand at all... We've tried everything |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" | The aircraft is back at the correct altitude, but falling at 10,000 ft per minute with an angle of attack of 41 degrees. The pitot tubes are functional, but as the speed has fallen below {{convert|60|knot|km/h}} and the angle of attack is too great, the data is considered invalid and the stall warnings stop. |
| 02:12:14
|Robert |Qu'est-ce que tu en penses? Qu'est-ce que tu en penses? Qu'est-ce qu'il faut faire? |What do you think? What do you think? What should we do? |
| 02:12:15
|Captain |Alors, là, je ne sais pas! |Well, I don't know! |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" |The captain urges Bonin to level the wings, which does not address the primary issue of the stall. The men discuss whether they are climbing or descending, before agreeing that they are indeed descending. As the plane approaches 10,000 feet, Robert tries to take back the controls, and pushes forward on the stick, however in "dual input" mode, the flight system averages his inputs with those of Bonin, who is still pulling back. The nose therefore remains up. |
| 02:13:40
|Robert |Remonte... remonte... remonte... remonte... |Climb... climb... climb... climb... |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" |Bonin communicates for the first time that he has been pulling the stick back all the time. |
| 02:13:40
|Bonin |Mais je suis à fond à cabrer depuis tout à l'heure! |But I've had the stick back the whole time! |
| 02:13:42
|Captain |Non, non, non... Ne remonte pas... non, non. |No, no, no... Don't climb... no, no. |
| 02:13:43
|Robert |Alors descends... Alors, donne-moi les commandes... À moi les commandes! |Then go down... Look, give me the controls... Give the controls to me! |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" | Bonin relinquishes control to Robert who for the first time is able to push the nose down to gather speed. A ground proximity warning sounds at 2,000 ft, and Bonin once again starts to pull back on the stick. |
| 02:14:23
|Robert |Putain, on va taper... C'est pas vrai! |Son of a bitch, we're going to crash... This can't be real! |
| 02:14:25
|Bonin |Mais qu'est-ce que se passe? |But what's gone on? |
| 02:14:27
|Captain |10 degrès d'assiette... |Ten degrees of pitch... |
| colspan="4" style="background:antiquewhite" | End of recording |
=Third interim report=
On 29 July 2011, the BEA released a third interim report on safety issues it found in the wake of the crash.{{sfn|BEA third|2011}} It was accompanied by two shorter documents summarizing the interim report{{Citation | url = http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/note29juillet2011.en.pdf | title = Synthesis Note on Interim Report No. 3 | date = 29 July 2011 | publisher = BEA | access-date = 29 July 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110814232418/http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/note29juillet2011.en.pdf | archive-date = 14 August 2011 | url-status = live}} and addressing safety recommendations.{{Citation | url = http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/reco29juillet2011.en.pdf | date = 29 July 2011 | publisher = BEA | title = Safety Recommendations from Interim Report No. 3 | access-date = 29 July 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110814232410/http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/reco29juillet2011.en.pdf | archive-date = 14 August 2011 | url-status = live}}
The third interim report stated that some new facts had been established. In particular:{{Cn|date=May 2025}}
- The pilots had not applied the unreliable-airspeed procedure.
- The pilot-in-control pulled back on the stick, thus increasing the angle of attack and causing the aircraft to climb rapidly.
- The pilots apparently did not notice that the aircraft had reached its maximum permissible altitude.
- The pilots did not read out the available data (vertical velocity, altitude, etc.).
- The stall warning sounded continuously for 54 seconds.
- The pilots did not comment on the stall warnings and apparently did not realize that the aircraft was stalled.
- There was some buffeting associated with the stall.
- The stall warning deactivates by design when the angle of attack measurements are considered invalid, and this is the case when the airspeed drops below a certain limit.
- In consequence, the stall warning came on whenever the pilot pushed forward on the stick and then stopped when he pulled back; this happened several times during the stall and this may have confused the pilots.
- Despite the fact that they were aware that altitude was declining rapidly, the pilots were unable to determine which instruments to trust; all values may have appeared to them to be incoherent.{{sfn|BEA third|2011|page=4}}
The BEA assembled a human factors working group to analyze the crew's actions and reactions during the final stages of the flight.{{cite web |title=Information, 7 September 2011 |publisher=BEA |date=7 September 2011 |url-status=dead |url=http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/info07september2011.en.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924235225/http://www.bea.aero/en/enquetes/flight.af.447/info07september2011.en.php |archive-date=24 September 2015 |access-date=3 January 2012}}
A brief bulletin by Air France indicated, "the misleading stopping and starting of the stall-warning alarm, contradicting the actual state of the aircraft, greatly contributed to the crew's difficulty in analyzing the situation."{{cite web | url= http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-air-transport-perspective/2011-08-01/latest-report-af447-crash-calls-new-training-and-flight-data | title= Latest Report on AF447 Crash Calls for New Training and Flight Data | work= AINonline | first= Charles | last= Alcock | date= 1 August 2011 | access-date= 17 March 2012 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120310100246/http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/ain-air-transport-perspective/2011-08-01/latest-report-af447-crash-calls-new-training-and-flight-data | archive-date= 10 March 2012 | url-status= live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.terminalu.com/travel-news/air-france-447-crash-report-pilots-lacked-training-to-deal-with-stall-warnings/13253/ |title=Air France 447 crash report: pilots "lacked training" to deal with stall warnings |work=Terminal U |date=29 July 2011 |access-date=3 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928034356/http://www.terminalu.com/travel-news/air-france-447-crash-report-pilots-lacked-training-to-deal-with-stall-warnings/13253/ |archive-date=28 September 2011 }}
File:BEAHQLeBourget8.JPG (BEA) at Le Bourget Airport, where the flight recorders were analysed]]
=Final report=
On 5 July 2012, the BEA released its final report on the accident. This confirmed the findings of the preliminary reports and provided additional details and recommendations to improve safety. According to the final report, the accident resulted from this succession of major events:
- Temporary inconsistency between the measured speeds, likely as a result of the obstruction of the pitot tubes by ice crystals, caused autopilot disconnection and [flight control mode] reconfiguration to "alternate law (ALT)".
- The crew made inappropriate control inputs that destabilized the flight path.
- The crew failed to follow appropriate procedure for loss of displayed airspeed information.
- The crew were late in identifying and correcting the deviation from the flight path.
- The crew lacked understanding of the approach to stall.
- The crew failed to recognize the aircraft had stalled, and consequently did not make inputs that would have made recovering from the stall possible.{{Rp|200}}
These events resulted from these major factors in combination:
- Feedback mechanisms between all those involved (the report identifies manufacturers, operators, flight crews, and regulatory agencies), which made it impossible to identify repeated non-application of the loss of airspeed information procedure, and to ensure that crews were trained in icing of the pitot probes and its consequences.
- The crew's lack of practical training in manually handling the aircraft both at high altitude and in the event of anomalies of speed indication.
- The weakening of the two co-pilots' task sharing, both by incomprehension of the situation at the time of autopilot disconnection and by poor management of the "startle effect", leaving them in an emotionally charged state.
- The cockpit's lack of a clear display of the inconsistencies in airspeed readings identified by the flight computers.
- The crew's lack of response to the stall warning, whether due to a failure to identify the aural warning, to the transience of the stall warnings that could have been considered spurious, to the absence of any visual information that could confirm that the aircraft was approaching stall after losing the characteristic speeds, to confusing stall-related buffet for overspeed-related buffet, to the indications by the flight director that might have confirmed the crew's mistaken view of their actions, or to difficulty in identifying and understanding the implications of the switch to alternate law, which does not protect the angle of attack.
Independent analyses
Before and after the publication of the final report by the BEA in July 2012, many independent analyses and expert opinions were published in the media about the cause of the accident.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}
=Significance of the accident=
In May 2011, Wil S. Hylton of The New York Times commented that the crash "was easy to bend into myth" because "no other passenger jet in modern history had disappeared so completely—without a Mayday call or a witness or even a trace on radar." Hylton explained that the A330 "was considered to be among the safest" of the passenger aircraft. Hylton added that when "Flight 447 seemed to disappear from the sky, it was tempting to deliver a tidy narrative about the hubris of building a self-flying aircraft, Icarus falling from the sky. Or maybe Flight 447 was the Titanic, an uncrashable ship at the bottom of the sea."{{cite news |title=What Happened to Air France Flight 447? |first=Wil S. |last=Hylton |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/08/magazine/mag-08Plane-t.html |newspaper=The New York Times Magazine |date=4 May 2011 |access-date=12 May 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110513005426/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/08/magazine/mag-08Plane-t.html| archive-date=13 May 2011| url-status= live}} Dr. Guy Gratton, an aviation expert from the Flight Safety Laboratory at Brunel University, said, "This is an air accident the likes of which we haven't seen before. Half the accident investigators in the Western world—and in Russia too—are waiting for these results. This has been the biggest investigation since Lockerbie. Put bluntly, big passenger planes do not just fall out of the sky."{{cite news |title=Air France Flight 447 – will all be revealed? |first=Michael |last=Day |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/8503270/Air-France-Flight-447-will-all-be-revealed.html |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=9 May 2011 |access-date=18 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181019040901/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/8503270/Air-France-Flight-447-will-all-be-revealed.html |archive-date=19 October 2018 |url-status=live }}
=Angle-of-attack indication=
Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger suggested that pilots would be able to better handle upsets of this type if they had an indication of the wing's angle of attack (AoA).{{cite web|url=http://www.safetyinengineering.com/FileUploads/Situation%20awareness%20and%20HMI_1369663651_2.pdf|title=Situation Awareness and the Human-Machine Interface|last=Thomson|first=Jim|year=2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202231502/http://www.safetyinengineering.com/FileUploads/Situation%20awareness%20and%20HMI_1369663651_2.pdf|archive-date=2 December 2013|access-date=24 November 2013}} p. 18. By contrast, aviation author Captain Bill Palmer has expressed doubts that an AoA indicator would have saved AF447, writing: "as the pilot flying (PF) seemed to be ignoring the more fundamental indicators of pitch and attitude, along with numerous stall warnings, one could question what difference a rarely used AoA gauge would have made".Palmer, p. 59.
Following its investigation, the BEA recommended that the European Aviation Safety Agency and the FAA should consider making an AoA indicator on the instrument panel mandatory.{{sfn|BEA final|2012|loc=§4.2.2 p. 205}}{{update inline|reason=Did they consider it, and what did they conclude?|date=July 2017}} In 2014, the FAA streamlined requirements for AoA indicators for general aviation{{cite web |title=FAA Streamlines Aoa Approval Policy Designed To Make Life-Saving Instrument More Affordable |last=Moore |first=Jim |website=AOPA |url=https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2014/february/06/aoa-policy |date=6 February 2014 |access-date=4 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107020822/https://www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2014/february/06/aoa-policy |archive-date=7 November 2017 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Press Release – FAA Clears Path for Installation of Angle of Attack Indicators in Small Aircraft |last=Dorr |first=Les |website=AOPA |url=https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=15714 |date=5 February 2014 |access-date=4 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107015838/https://www.faa.gov/news/press_releases/news_story.cfm?newsId=15714 |archive-date=7 November 2017 |url-status=live }} without affecting requirements for commercial aviation.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}
=Human factors and computer interaction=
On 6 December 2011, Popular Mechanics published an English translation of the analysis of the transcript of the CVR controversially leaked in the book Erreurs de Pilotage.{{sfn|Otelli|2011}} It highlighted the role of the co-pilot in stalling the aircraft, while the flight computer was under alternate law at high altitude. This "simple but persistent" human error was given as the most direct cause of this accident.{{cite journal|last=Wise|first=Jeff|date=6 December 2011|title=What Really Happened Aboard Air France 447|url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/a3115/what-really-happened-aboard-air-france-447-6611877/|url-status=live|journal=Popular Mechanics|url-access=subscription|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226031700/http://www.popularmechanics.com/flight/a3115/what-really-happened-aboard-air-france-447-6611877/|archive-date=26 December 2016|access-date=24 June 2016}} Synopsis and transcript of the pilots' conversation from 02:03:44 to 02:14:27 in French with English translation and comments In the commentary accompanying the article, they also noted that the failure to follow principles of crew resource management was a contributory factor.{{Cn|date=May 2025}}
The final BEA report points to the human-computer interface (HCI) of the Airbus as a possible factor contributing to the crash. It provides an explanation for most of the pitch-up inputs by the pilot flying, left unexplained in the Popular Mechanics piece: namely that the flight director display was misleading.{{cite web |url=https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/farnborough-air-show/2012-07-08/final-af447-report-suggests-pilot-slavishly-followed-flight-director-pitch-commands |title=Final AF447 Report Suggests Pilot Slavishly Followed Flight Director Pitch Commands |publisher=AIN Online |date=8 July 2012 |access-date=29 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424122249/http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/farnborough-air-show/2012-07-08/final-af447-report-suggests-pilot-slavishly-followed-flight-director-pitch-commands |archive-date=24 April 2014 |url-status=live }} The pitch-up input at the beginning of the fatal sequence of events appears to be the consequence of an altimeter error. The investigators also pointed to the lack of a clear display of the airspeed inconsistencies, though the computers had identified them. Some systems generated failure messages only about the consequences, but never mentioned the origin of the problem. The investigators recommended a blocked pitot tube should be clearly indicated as such to the crew on the flight displays. The Daily Telegraph pointed out the absence of AoA information, which is important in identifying and preventing a stall. The paper stated, "though angle of attack readings are sent to onboard computers, there are no displays in modern jets to convey this critical information to the crews." Der Spiegel indicated the difficulty the pilots faced in diagnosing the problem: "One alarm after another lit up the cockpit monitors. One after another, the autopilot, the automatic engine control system, and the flight computers shut themselves off."{{cite news |last=Traufetter |first=Gerald |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/death-in-the-atlantic-the-last-four-minutes-of-air-france-flight-447-a-679980.html |title=Death in the Atlantic: The Last Four Minutes of Air France Flight 447 |work=Spiegel Online |date=25 February 2010 |access-date=15 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714231355/http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/death-in-the-atlantic-the-last-four-minutes-of-air-france-flight-447-a-679980.html |archive-date=14 July 2014 |url-status=live }} Against this backdrop of confusing information, difficulty with aural cognition (due to heavy buffeting from the storm, as well as the stall) and zero external visibility, the pilots had less than three minutes to identify the problem and take corrective action.{{Cn|date=May 2025}} The Der Spiegel report asserts that such a crash "could happen again".{{Cn|date=May 2025}}
In an article in Vanity Fair, William Langewiesche noted that once the AoA was so extreme, the system rejected the data as invalid, and temporarily stopped the stall warnings, but "this led to a perverse reversal that lasted nearly to the impact; each time Bonin happened to lower the nose, rendering the angle of attack marginally less severe, the stall warning sounded again—a negative reinforcement that may have locked him into his pattern of pitching up", which increased the angle of attack and thus aggravated the stall.{{cite news|last1=Langewiesche|first1=William|last2=McCabe|first2=Sean|date=October 2014|title=The Human Factor|newspaper=Vanity Fair|publisher=Photo Illustration|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/business/2014/10/air-france-flight-447-crash|url-status=live|access-date=18 September 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140917045501/http://www.vanityfair.com/business/2014/10/air-france-flight-447-crash|archive-date=17 September 2014}}
==Side-stick control issue==
{{See also|Side-stick#Handling_of_dual_input_situations}}
File:Airbus A380 cockpit zoom on sidestick.JPG control on an Airbus A380 flight deck (similar to the one installed on A330s)]]
In April 2012 in The Daily Telegraph, British journalist Nick Ross published a comparison of Airbus and Boeing flight controls; unlike the control yoke used on Boeing flight decks, the Airbus side-stick controls give little visual feedback and no sensory or tactile feedback to the second pilot. The cockpit synthetic voice, however, does give an aural 'Dual Input' warning, provided there currently aren't any higher priority warnings,{{cite web | work = Airbus Safety First #03 December 2006 p. 5/5 | series = Airbus Safety First Magazine | title = Dual Side Stick Inputs | date = 2024-11-23 | url =
https://safetyfirst.airbus.com/app/themes/mh_newsdesk/documents/archives/dual-side-stick-inputs.pdf | quote = "Note: This audio has the lowest priority among the synthetic voice audio alerts."}} whenever more than a single side-stick input is initiated by the pilots. Ross reasoned that this might in part explain why the PF's [pilot flying] fatal nose-up inputs were not countermanded by his two colleagues.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/9231855/Air-France-Flight-447-Damn-it-were-going-to-crash.html |title=Air France Flight 447: 'Damn it, we're going to crash' |first1=Nick |last1=Ross |first2=Neil |last2=Tweedie |date=28 April 2012 |access-date=16 February 2015 |place=UK |work=The Daily Telegraph |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210083527/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/9231855/Air-France-Flight-447-Damn-it-were-going-to-crash.html |archive-date=10 February 2015 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/1615989539001/report-airbus-design-may-have-contributed-to-deadly-crash/ |title=Report: Airbus design may have contributed to deadly crash |work=News |publisher=Fox |date=28 April 2012 |access-date=30 April 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504082847/http://video.foxnews.com/v/1615989539001/report-airbus-design-may-have-contributed-to-deadly-crash/ |archive-date=4 May 2012 |url-status=live }}
In a July 2012 CBS report, Sullenberger suggested the design of the Airbus cockpit might have been a factor in the accident. The flight controls are not mechanically linked between the two pilot seats, and Robert, the left-seat pilot who believed he had taken over control of the aircraft, was not aware that Bonin continued to hold the stick back, which overrode Robert's own control.{{cite web |title=Air France 447: Final report on what brought airliner down |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7413898n |work=CBS News |access-date=30 March 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515081414/http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7413898n |archive-date=15 May 2013 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Air France Flight 447's lessons – four years later |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/air-france-flight-447s-lessons-four-years-later/ |work=CBS News |access-date=9 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608033135/http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-33816_162-57587193/four-years-later-lessons-from-air-france-flight-447 |archive-date=8 June 2013 |url-status=live }}{{efn|There was a similar side-stick control issue in the Air Asia Flight 8501 accident.}}
The BEA final report acknowledged the difficulty for one pilot to observe the side-stick input of the other,{{sfn|BEA final|2012|loc=p. 174|ps=, "It is worth noting that the inputs applied to a sidestick by one pilot cannot be observed easily by the other one and that the conditions of a night flight in IMC make it more difficult to monitor aeroplane attitudes (pitch attitude in particular)."}} but did not identify it as a cause of the accident{{sfn|BEA final|2012|loc=§3.2|ps=, Causes of the Accident}} and made no recommendation related to the side-stick input design.{{sfn|BEA final|2012|loc=§4|ps=, Safety Recommandations}}
=Fatigue=
Getting enough sleep is a constant concern for pilots of long-haul flights.{{sfn|Palmer|2013|p=19}} Although the BEA could find no "objective" indications that the pilots of Flight 447 were suffering from fatigue,{{Reference page|page=100}}{{sfn|BEA final|2012|loc=§1.16.7 "Aspects relating to fatigue" p. 100}} some exchanges recorded on the CVR, including a remark made by Captain Dubois that he had only slept an hour,{{efn|"I didn't sleep enough last night. One hour – it's not enough right now." "Cette nuit, j'ai pas assez dormi. Une heure, c'était pas assez tout à l'heure."}} could indicate the crew were not well rested before the flight.Palmer 2013, p. 20 "... these questions do raise the legitimate question if fatigue could have been a contributing factor to the crew's inability to properly diagnose and maintain control of the situation." The co-pilots had spent three nights in Rio de Janeiro, but the BEA was unable to retrieve data regarding their rest and could not determine their activities during the stopover.{{Reference page|page=24}}{{sfn|BEA final|2012|loc=§1.5|ps=,"The crew had left Paris on Thursday 28 May 2009 in the morning and arrived in Rio de Janeiro in the evening of the same day"|p=24}}{{cite web |language=fr |last=Vigoureux |first=Thierry |title=Crash du Rio-Paris, la fatigue des pilotes a été cachée |trans-title=Rio–Paris crash: the pilots' fatigue was concealed |url=http://www.lepoint.fr/societe/crash-du-rio-paris-la-fatigue-des-pilotes-a-ete-cachee-15-03-2013-1640312_23.php |newspaper=Le Point |date=15 March 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130316145117/http://www.lepoint.fr/societe/crash-du-rio-paris-la-fatigue-des-pilotes-a-ete-cachee-15-03-2013-1640312_23.php |archive-date=16 March 2013}}
Aftermath
Shortly after the crash, Air France changed the number of the regular Rio de Janeiro-Paris flight from AF447 to AF445;{{cite news |language=de |title=AF 445 statt AF 447: Air France ändert Flugnummer auf der tragischen Unglücksroute |trans-title=AF 445 instead of AF 447: Air France changes the flight number of the route that had the tragic accident |url=http://bazonline.ch/panorama/vermischtes/AF-445-statt-AF-447--Air-France-aendert-Flugnummer-auf-der-tragischen-Ungluecksroute/story/10901518 |work=Baseler Zeitung |date=8 June 2009 |access-date=8 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612014942/http://bazonline.ch/panorama/vermischtes/AF-445-statt-AF-447--Air-France-aendert-Flugnummer-auf-der-tragischen-Ungluecksroute/story/10901518 |archive-date=12 June 2009 |url-status=live}} and, as of December 2023, the number for the route has been changed to AF485. While the Airbus A330 continued to operate the route, the airline later switched to a Boeing 777-300ER.{{Cite web |title=AF485 (AFR485) Air France Flight Tracking and History |url=http://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/AFR485 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=FlightAware |language=en}} {{As of|January 2024|post=,}} Air France is beginning to phase out their entire Airbus A330 fleet to be replaced with the newer and more energy efficient Airbus A350-900. The first aircraft retired from the fleet being F-GZCL on 31 May 2024, nearly 15 years after AF447 accident, where it experienced a strong wind from a cumulonimbus cloud, causing the plane to pivot on the main gear, which moved the nose gear to move more than a meter to the right at N'Djamena International Airport in Chad.{{Cite web |title=Accident to the Airbus A330 registered F-GZCL operated by Air France on 31/05/2024 at N'Djamena (TCHAD)|url=https://bea.aero/en/investigation-reports/notified-events/detail/accident-to-the-airbus-a330-registered-f-gzcl-operated-by-air-france-on-31-05-2024-at-ndjamena-tchad/ |website=BEA |date=2024-05-31 |access-date=2025-04-12 |language=en}} The aircraft was retired the following day after the incident, after serving 21 years with the company.{{Cite web |title=Airbus A330 MSN 519 F-GZCL |url=https://www.airfleets.net/ficheapp/plane-a330-519.htm
|website=AirFleets |access-date=2025-04-12}} The remaining aircraft are expected to be completely retired by 2030.{{Cite press release |title=The Air France-KLM Group will place an order for 50 Airbus A350 family aircraft - with purchase rights for 40 additional aircraft - to accelerate the renewal of its long-haul fleet |publisher=Air France–KLM |url=https://www.airfranceklm.com/en/newsroom/air-france-klm-group-will-place-order-50-airbus-a350-family-aircraft-purchase-rights-40 |access-date=2023-09-26}}
Six months after the crash of Air France Flight 447, on 30 November 2009, Air France Flight 445 operated by another Airbus A330-203 (registered F-GZCK) made a mayday call because of severe turbulence around the same area and at a similar time to when Flight 447 was lost. Because the pilots could not obtain immediate permission from air traffic controllers (ATCs) to descend to a less turbulent altitude, the mayday was to alert other aircraft in the vicinity that the flight had deviated from its allocated flight level. This is standard contingency procedure when changing altitude without direct ATC authorization. After 30 minutes of moderate-to-severe turbulence, the flight continued normally. The flight landed safely in Paris 6 hours and 40 minutes after the mayday call.{{cite web |url=http://www.avherald.com/h?article=42380873&opt=0e |title=Incident: Air France A332 over Atlantic on Nov 30th 2009, Mayday call due to severe turbulence |first=Simon |last=Hradecky |work=The Aviation Herald |date=30 November 2009 |access-date=15 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923180821/http://www.avherald.com/h?article=42380873&opt=0e |archive-date=23 September 2015 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100722050541/http://corporate.airfrance.com/en/press/news/article/item/vol-af445-rio-paris-cdg-du-291109/ |url=http://corporate.airfrance.com/en/press/news/article/item/vol-af445-rio-paris-cdg-du-291109/ |title=Flight AF445 Rio-Paris-CDG on 29 November 2009 |work=Air France |archive-date=22 July 2010}}
=Inaccurate airspeed indicators=
Several cases have occurred in which inaccurate airspeed information led to flight incidents on the A330 and A340. Two of those incidents involved pitot probes.{{efn|For an explanation of how airspeed is measured, see air data reference.}} In the first incident, an Air France A340-300 (F-GLZL) en route from Tokyo to Paris experienced an event at {{convert|31000|ft|m}}, in which the airspeed was incorrectly reported and the autopilot automatically disengaged. Bad weather and obstructed drainage holes in all three pitot probes were subsequently found to be the cause.{{cite news |url=http://avherald.com/h?article=41a81ef1/0022&opt=0 |title=Crash: Air France A332 over Atlantic on 1 June 2009, aircraft impacted ocean |work=The Aviation Herald |access-date=6 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150719223012/http://avherald.com/h?article=41a81ef1%2F0022&opt=0 |archive-date=19 July 2015 |url-status=live }} In the second incident, an Air France A340-300 (F-GLZN) en route from Paris to New York encountered turbulence followed by the autoflight systems going offline, warnings over the accuracy of the reported airspeed, and 2 minutes of stall alerts.
Another incident on TAM Flight 8091, from Miami to Rio de Janeiro on 21 May 2009, involving an A330-200, showed a sudden drop of outside air temperature, then loss of air data, the ADIRS, autopilot and autothrust.{{cite news |url=http://aviacaonoticias.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/air-france-447-two-a330-airspeed-and-altitude-incidents-under-ntsb-scrutiny/ |title=Air France 447 – Two A330 airspeed and altitude incidents under NTSB scrutiny |last=Ranson |first=Lori |date=28 June 2009 |access-date=8 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100130065218/http://aviacaonoticias.wordpress.com/2009/06/28/air-france-447-two-a330-airspeed-and-altitude-incidents-under-ntsb-scrutiny/ |archive-date=30 January 2010 |url-status=live |agency=aviationnewsrelease }} The aircraft descended {{convert|1000|m|ft|order=flip}} before being manually recovered using backup instruments. The NTSB also examined a similar 23 June 2009 incident on a Northwest Airlines flight from Hong Kong to Tokyo, concluding in both cases that the aircraft operating manual was sufficient to prevent a dangerous situation from occurring.{{cite web|url=https://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20090706X72654&key=1|title=Probable cause: Northwest Airlines incident occurred Tuesday, June 23, 2009 (DCA09IA064)|date=27 June 2011|publisher=National Transportation Safety Board|id=DCA09IA064|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110907125923/https://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20090706X72654&key=1|archive-date=7 September 2011|access-date=4 January 2012}}
Following the crash of Air France 447, other Airbus A330 operators studied their internal flight records to seek patterns. Delta Air Lines analyzed the data of Northwest Airlines flights that occurred before the two companies merged and found a dozen incidents in which at least one of an A330's pitot tubes had briefly stopped working when the aircraft was flying through the ITCZ, the same location where Air France 447 crashed.{{cite news |last1=Wise |first1=Jeff |title=How Plane Crash Forensics Lead to Safer Aviation |url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/aviation/crashes/4338827-2 |access-date=24 October 2014 |work=Popular Mechanics |date=18 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018070128/http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/aviation/crashes/4338827-2 |archive-date=18 October 2014 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=McGee |first1=Oliver |title=Five-Year Anniversary of AF447: MH370 Déjà vu? |url=https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20140602035328-90103575-five-year-anniversary-of-af447-mh370-d%C3%A9j%C3%A0-vu |access-date=24 October 2014 |publisher=Linkedin |date=2 June 2014}}
= Legal cases =
Air France and Airbus have been investigated for manslaughter since 2011, but in 2019, prosecutors recommended dropping the case against Airbus and charging Air France with manslaughter and negligence, arguing, "the airline was aware of technical problems with a key airspeed monitoring instrument on its planes but failed to train pilots to resolve them".{{cite news |last=Chazan |first=David |title=French prosecutors recommend manslaughter charge for Air France over 2009 crash |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/07/17/french-prosecutors-recommend-manslaughter-charge-air-france/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/07/17/french-prosecutors-recommend-manslaughter-charge-air-france/ |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Telegraph |date=17 July 2019 |access-date=18 July 2019 |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}} The case against Airbus was dropped on 22 July 2019.{{cite web |last=Charpentreau |first=Clément |date=22 July 2019 |title=AF447: Air France sent back to court, case dismissed for Airbus |url=https://www.aerotime.aero/clement.charpentreau/23726-af447-air-france-sent-back-to-court-case-dismissed-for-airbus |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190723032905/https://www.aerotime.aero/clement.charpentreau/23726-af447-air-france-sent-back-to-court-case-dismissed-for-airbus |archive-date=23 July 2019 |access-date=23 July 2019 |website=www.aerotime.aero}} The case against Air France was dropped in September 2019 when magistrates said, "there were not enough grounds to prosecute".{{cite news |date=4 September 2019 |title=Air France crash: Manslaughter charges dropped over 2009 disaster |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49598838 |url-status=live |access-date=5 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906042416/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-49598838 |archive-date=6 September 2019}} However, in 2021, a public prosecutor in Paris requested to have Airbus and Air France tried in a court of law.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=27 January 2021 |title=Air France and Airbus face Paris trial call over deadly crash: source |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-airfrance-crash-france-trial-idUSKBN29W20X |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127163722/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-airfrance-crash-france-trial-idUSKBN29W20X |archive-date=27 January 2021 |access-date=27 January 2021 |work=Reuters}} In April, it was announced that both companies would be prosecuted over the crash. Lawyers for Airbus stated they would lodge an immediate appeal against the decision.{{cite web |date=12 May 2021 |title=Air France and Airbus to face trial over 2009 Rio-Paris crash, French court says |url=https://www.france24.com/en/france/20210512-air-france-and-airbus-to-face-trial-over-2009-rio-paris-crash-french-court-says |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210512080529/https://www.france24.com/en/france/20210512-air-france-and-airbus-to-face-trial-over-2009-rio-paris-crash-french-court-says |archive-date=12 May 2021 |access-date=12 May 2021 |website=France 24}} The trial opened on 10 October 2022, with Airbus and Air France both being charged with involuntary manslaughter. Both companies pleaded not guilty to the charges.{{Cite news |last=Bittermann |first=Jim |date=2022-10-10 |title=Air France and Airbus charged with involuntary homicide for Rio-Paris crash in 2009 |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/10/business/airbus-air-france-flight-447-crash-trial/index.html |access-date=2022-10-11 |work=CNN |archive-date=11 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221011192352/https://www.cnn.com/2022/10/10/business/airbus-air-france-flight-447-crash-trial/index.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last1=Vaux-Montagny |first1=Nicolas |last2=Schaeffer |first2=Jeffrey |date=2022-10-10 |title=Families of crash victims rain wrath on Airbus, Air France |work=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/business-france-paris-6d58f982516a616d28faae048e752421 |access-date=2022-10-12 |archive-date=12 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012063542/https://apnews.com/article/business-france-paris-6d58f982516a616d28faae048e752421 |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last1=Hepher |first1=Tim |last2=Woo |first2=Yiming |date=2022-10-10 |title=Air France, Airbus face angry families in AF447 crash trial |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/air-france-airbus-face-french-court-over-rio-paris-crash-2022-10-10/ |access-date=2022-10-12 |archive-date=12 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221012174922/https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/air-france-airbus-face-french-court-over-rio-paris-crash-2022-10-10/ |url-status=live }}
On 7 December, prosecutors announced that they would not seek conviction of either company for manslaughter as they were unable to prove them guilty, and recommended acquitting both companies. Families and friends of the victims were outraged by the decision.{{Cite news |date=2022-12-07 |title=French prosecutors will not seek Airbus, Air France convictions over 2009 Rio-Paris crash |work=France 24 |url=https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20221207-french-prosecutors-will-not-seek-convictions-for-airbus-or-air-france-over-2009-rio-paris-crash |access-date=2022-12-09 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210021049/https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20221207-french-prosecutors-will-not-seek-convictions-for-airbus-or-air-france-over-2009-rio-paris-crash |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Vaux-Montagny |first=Nicolas |date=2022-12-08 |title=Families dismayed at trial for Rio-Paris Air France crash |work=ABC News |agency=Associated Press |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/families-dismayed-trial-rio-paris-air-france-crash-94769531 |access-date=2022-12-09 |archive-date=10 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221210021101/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/families-dismayed-trial-rio-paris-air-france-crash-94769531 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Lec'hvien |first=Anne |date=2022-12-07 |title=No convictions sought in French court over 2009 Rio-Paris crash |url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/no-convictions-sought-french-court-164312750.html |access-date=2022-12-10 |website=www.yahoo.com |archive-date=11 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221211015413/https://www.yahoo.com/now/no-convictions-sought-french-court-164312750.html |url-status=dead }} On 17 April 2023, Airbus and Air France were both acquitted of manslaughter.{{Cite news |last=Breeden |first=Aurelien |date=2023-04-17 |title=Airbus and Air France Acquitted Over 2009 Rio-Paris Crash |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/17/world/europe/airbus-air-france-brazil-crash.html |access-date=2023-04-17 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=17 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417130025/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/17/world/europe/airbus-air-france-brazil-crash.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |date=2023-04-17 |title=Air France and Airbus cleared of involuntary manslaughter over 2009 crash |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/17/air-france-and-airbus-cleared-of-involuntary-manslaughter-over-2009-crash |access-date=2023-04-17 |issn=0261-3077 |archive-date=17 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230417130235/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/17/air-france-and-airbus-cleared-of-involuntary-manslaughter-over-2009-crash |url-status=live }}{{Cite news |last=Vaux-Montagny |first=Nicolas |date=2023-04-17 |title=Airbus, Air France acquitted over 2009 Rio-Paris crash |work=ABC News |agency=Associated Press |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/airbus-air-france-face-verdict-2009-rio-paris-98627257 |access-date=2023-04-17 |archive-date=18 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418013639/https://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory/airbus-air-france-face-verdict-2009-rio-paris-98627257 |url-status=live }} A French prosecutor lodged an appeal against the verdict.{{Cite web |date=2023-04-27 |title=Prosecutor appeals Rio-Paris plane crash verdict that cleared Air France, Airbus of manslaughter |url=https://www.france24.com/en/france/20230427-prosecutor-appeals-rio-paris-plane-crash-verdict-that-cleared-air-france-airbus-of-manslaughter |access-date=2023-04-28 |website=France 24 |archive-date=29 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429022347/https://www.france24.com/en/france/20230427-prosecutor-appeals-rio-paris-plane-crash-verdict-that-cleared-air-france-airbus-of-manslaughter |url-status=live }}
In popular culture
A one-hour documentary entitled Lost: The Mystery of Flight 447 detailing an early independent hypothesis about the crash was produced by Darlow Smithson in 2010 for Nova and the BBC. Without data from the black boxes, an independent panel of experts analyzed ACARS messages among weather patterns and limited debris data to postulate that supercooled water blocked pitot tubes, causing most automatic systems to shut down, before the information overload combined with auto-thrust not adjusting the indicated thrust level of the thrust levers caused crew to neglect increasing power, with automatic systems decreasing the capability of pilots to handle the stall.{{citation |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sndh5 |publisher=BBC |title=Two Programmes |contribution=Lost: The Mystery of Flight 447 |access-date=31 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100530103011/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sndh5 |archive-date=30 May 2010 |url-status=live }}{{citation |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/crash-flight-447.html |publisher=PBS |type=documentary |title=Nova |contribution=Crash: Flight 447 |access-date=23 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107022821/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/space/crash-flight-447.html |archive-date=7 November 2011 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.airfrance447.com/06/02/nova-working-on-air-france-447-documentary/ |title=Nova Working on Air France 447 Documentary |author=Jonathan |date=2 June 2010 |access-date=2 June 2010 |work=Nova | publisher=Air France 447 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605082355/http://www.airfrance447.com/06/02/nova-working-on-air-france-447-documentary/ |archive-date=5 June 2010 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/insidenova/2010/06/air-france-447-one-year-out.html |title=Air France 447, One Year Out |first=Peter |last=Tyson |date=1 June 2010 |access-date=2 June 2010 |work=Nova |publisher=PBS |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100605011918/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/insidenova/2010/06/air-france-447-one-year-out.html |archive-date=5 June 2010 |url-status=live}}
On 16 September 2012, Channel 4 in the UK presented Fatal Flight 447: Chaos in the Cockpit, which showed data from the black boxes including an in-depth re-enactment. It was produced by Minnow Films.{{citation |last=Choose4Umix |title=Air crash investigation {{!}} Air France fatal flight 447 (CHAOS IN THE COCKPIT) 2018 HD |date=22 June 2018 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O6LeOrGUBg |access-date=26 July 2019 |archive-date=20 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920215824/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6O6LeOrGUBg&gl=US&hl=en |url-status=live }} Similar presentation was made by 60 Minutes Australia in 2014.{{Citation|title=Passenger aircraft falls out of sky - What happened to Flight 447? {{!}} 60 Minutes Australia| date=2 May 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYMxj3aaygE|language=en|access-date=2022-01-07|archive-date=7 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220107035608/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYMxj3aaygE|url-status=live}}
The aviation-disaster documentary television series Mayday (also known as Air Crash Investigation and Air Emergency) produced a 45-minute episode titled "Air France 447: Vanished", which aired on 15 April 2013 in Great Britain and 17 May 2013 in the U.S.{{cite web |title='Air Emergency' Air France 447: Vanished |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2399109/ |work=IMdB |access-date=30 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130217033151/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2399109/ |archive-date=17 February 2013 |url-status=live }}
An article about the crash by American author and pilot William Langewiesche, entitled "Should Airplanes Be Flying Themselves?", was published by Vanity Fair in October 2014.
A 99% Invisible podcast episode about the flight, entitled "Children of the Magenta (Automation Paradox, pt. 1)", was released on 23 June 2015 as the first of a two-part story about automation.{{cite web |last1=Mars |first1=Roman |title=Episode 170: Children of the Magenta (Automation Paradox, pt. 1) |url=http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/children-of-the-magenta-automation-paradox-pt-1/ |website=99% Invisible |access-date=17 August 2015 |date=23 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150812035013/http://99percentinvisible.org/episode/children-of-the-magenta-automation-paradox-pt-1/ |archive-date=12 August 2015 |url-status=live }}
In November 2015, Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor David Mindell discussed the Air France Flight 447 tragedy in the opening segment of an EconTalk podcast dedicated to the ideas in Mindell's 2015 book Our Robots, Ourselves: Robotics and the Myths of Autonomy.{{cite book |last=Mindell |first=David A. |title=Our Robots, Ourselves: Robotics and the Myths of Autonomy |publisher=Penguin Random House |year=2015 |isbn=9780525426974}} Mindell said the crash illustrated a "failed handoff", with insufficient warning, from the aircraft's autopilot to the human pilots.{{cite podcast |url=http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2015/11/david_mindell_o.html |title=David Mindell on Our Robots, Ourselves |website=EconTalk |publisher=Library of Economics and Liberty |host=Russ Roberts |date=30 November 2015 |access-date=6 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208061125/http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2015/11/david_mindell_o.html |archive-date=8 December 2015 |url-status=live }}
The Rooster Teeth–produced podcast Black Box Down covered the flight in an episode titled "Stalling 38,000 Feet Over The Atlantic" on 30 July 2020.{{Citation|title=Stalling 38,000 Feet Over The Atlantic - Black Box Down - S1E15 - Rooster Teeth|url=https://roosterteeth.com/watch/black-box-down-2020-7-30|language=en|access-date=2021-12-28|archive-date=12 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212030049/https://roosterteeth.com/watch/black-box-down-2020-7-30|url-status=live}}
On 9 September 2021, the Science Channel Documentary Deadly Engineering covered the crash on Season 3 Episode 1 : "Catastrophes in the Sky".{{Citation |title=Deadly Engineering: Catastrophes of the Sky {{!}} TVmaze |url=https://www.tvmaze.com/episodes/2164043/deadly-engineering-3x01-catastrophes-of-the-sky |language=en |access-date=2022-05-31 |archive-date=7 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407064858/https://www.tvmaze.com/episodes/2164043/deadly-engineering-3x01-catastrophes-of-the-sky |url-status=live }}
See also
{{Portal|France|Brazil|Aviation|2000s}}
- Indonesia AirAsia Flight 8501, a 2014 fatal crash involving an Airbus A320 resulting from a high-altitude stall and pilots making opposite inputs with the aircraft's side-stick controls
- Colgan Air Flight 3407, a 2009 fatal crash resulting from improper response to a stall by the pilot
- Birgenair Flight 301, a 1996 fatal crash resulting from blocked pitot tubes which led to a high-altitude stall
- Aeroperú Flight 603, a 1996 fatal crash caused by a blocked static port
- Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 6231, a 1974 fatal crash caused by frozen pitot tubes
- XL Airways Germany Flight 888T, a 2008 fatal crash resulting from a stall that was caused by frozen angle-of-attack sensors
- Air Algérie Flight 5017, a 2014 fatal crash caused by ice accumulating in the engines and reducing thrust, which caused the plane to slow to the point of stalling
- Turkish Airlines Flight 5904, another flight that crashed because pilots improperly handled improper airspeed information due to frozen pitot tubes.
- TWA Flight 841 (1979) and China Airlines Flight 006, other accidents in which pilot errors led to stalls.
- List of deadliest aircraft accidents and incidents
- Air France accidents and incidents
Notes
{{notelist}}
Works cited
Official sources (in English)
- {{Citation |title=Interim report on the accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP operated by Air France flight AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris |author=BEA (France) |author-link=BEA (France) |translator-last=BEA from French |translator-link=#CITEREFBEA first French2009 |date=2 July 2009 |url=http://www.bea.aero/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e1.en/pdf/f-cp090601e1.en.pdf |publisher=BEA Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |location=Le Bourget |oclc=821207217 |access-date=13 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530095322/https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e1.en/pdf/f-cp090601e1.en.pdf |archive-date=30 May 2019 |ref={{harvid|BEA_first|2009}}}}
- {{Citation |title=Interim Report n°2 on the accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP operated by Air France flight AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris |author=BEA (France) |author-link=BEA (France) |translator-last=BEA from French |translator-link=#CITEREFBEA second French2009 |date=30 November 2009 |url=https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e2.en/pdf/f-cp090601e2.en_03.pdf |publisher=BEA Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |location=Le Bourget |isbn=978-2-11-098715-0 |oclc=827738411 |access-date=12 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223050358/https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e2.en/pdf/f-cp090601e2.en_03.pdf |archive-date=23 December 2022 |ref={{harvid|BEA_second|2009}}}}
- {{Citation |title=Interim report n °3 on the accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP operated by Air France flight AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris. |author=BEA (France) |author-link=BEA (France) |translator-last=BEA from French |translator-link=#CITEREFBEA third French2011 |date=29 July 2011 |url=https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e3.en/pdf/f-cp090601e3.en_03.pdf |publisher=BEA Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |location=Le Bourget |oclc=827738487 |access-date=12 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223050426/https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e3.en/pdf/f-cp090601e3.en_03.pdf |archive-date=23 December 2022 |ref={{harvid|BEA_third|2011}}}}
- {{Citation |title=Final report On the accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP operated by Air France flight AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris |author=BEA (France) |author-link=BEA (France) |translator-last=BEA from French |translator-link=#CITEREFBEA final French2012 |date=5 July 2012 |url=https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601.en/pdf/f-cp090601.en.pdf |publisher=BEA Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |location=Le Bourget |access-date=12 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530095333/https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601.en/pdf/f-cp090601.en.pdf |archive-date=30 May 2019 |ref={{harvid|BEA_final|2012}}}}
- {{Citation |title=Final report On the accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP operated by Air France flight AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris |author=BEA (France) |author-link=BEA (France) |translator-last=BEA from French |date=5 July 2012 |url=https://www.bea.aero/en/investigation-reports/notified-events/detail/event/accident-de-lairbus-a330-203-immatricule-f-gzcp-et-exploite-par-air-france-survenu-le-01062009-da/#publication-ong |chapter=Appendix 1 CVR Transcript |chapter-url=https://bea.aero/fileadmin/uploads/tx_elyextendttnews/annexe.01.en_03.pdf |publisher=BEA Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |location=Le Bourget |access-date=11 July 2012 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530095333/https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601.en/pdf/f-cp090601.en.pdf |archive-date=30 May 2019 |ref={{harvid|BEA_final_appx1|2012}}}}
- {{Citation |title=Final report On the accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP operated by Air France flight AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris |author=BEA (France) |author-link=Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |translator-last=BEA from French |date=5 July 2012 |url=https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601.en/pdf/f-cp090601.en.pdf |chapter=Appendix 2 FDR Chronology |chapter-url=https://bea.aero/fileadmin/uploads/tx_elyextendttnews/annexe.02_07.pdf |publisher=BEA Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |location=Le Bourget |access-date=12 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530095333/https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601.en/pdf/f-cp090601.en.pdf |archive-date=30 May 2019 |ref={{harvid|BEA_final_appx2|2012}}}}
Official sources (in French) – the French version is the report of record.
- {{Citation |language=fr |title=Accident survenu le 1er juin 2009 à l'Airbus A330-203 immatriculé F-GZCP exploité par Air France vol AF 447 Rio de Janeiro-Paris f-cp090601e : Rapport d'étape |trans-title=Interim report on the accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP operated by Air France flight AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris |author=BEA (France) |author-link=BEA (France) |date=2 July 2009 |url=https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e1/pdf/f-cp090601e1.pdf |publisher=BEA Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |location=Le Bourget |isbn=978-2-11-098702-0 |oclc=816349880 |access-date=13 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530075926/https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e1/pdf/f-cp090601e1.pdf |archive-date=30 May 2019 |ref={{harvid|BEA_first_French|2009}}}}
- {{Citation |language=fr |title=Accident survenu le 1er juin 2009 à l'avion Airbus A330-203 immatriculé F-GZCP exploité par Air France Vol AF 447 Rio de Janeiro-Paris : rapport d'étape n° 2 |trans-title=Interim Report n°2 on the accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP operated by Air France flight AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris |author=BEA (France) |author-link=BEA (France) |date=30 November 2009 |url=https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e2/pdf/f-cp090601e2_03.pdf |publisher=BEA Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |location=Le Bourget |isbn=978-2-11-098713-6 |oclc=762531678 |access-date=13 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010102535/https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e2/pdf/f-cp090601e2_03.pdf |archive-date=10 October 2022 |ref={{harvid|BEA_second_French|2009}}}}
- {{Citation |language=fr |title=Accident survenu le 1er juin 2009 à l'avion Airbus A330-203 immatriculé F-GZCP exploité par Air France Vol AF 447 Rio de Janeiro-Paris : rapport d'étape n° 3 |trans-title=Interim Report n°3 on the accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP operated by Air France flight AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris |author=BEA (France) |author-link=BEA (France) |date=29 July 2011 |url=https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e3/pdf/f-cp090601e3_03.pdf |publisher=BEA Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |location=Le Bourget |access-date=13 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010093856/https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601e3/pdf/f-cp090601e3_03.pdf |archive-date=10 October 2022 |ref={{harvid|BEA_third_French|2011}}}}
- {{Citation |language=fr |title=Accident survenu le 1er juin 2009 à l'Airbus A330-203 immatriculé F-GZCP exploité par Air France vol AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris Rapport final |trans-title=Final report On the accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP operated by Air France flight AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris |author=BEA (France) |author-link=BEA (France) |date=5 July 2012 |url=https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601/pdf/f-cp090601.pdf |publisher=BEA Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |location=Le Bourget |access-date=12 March 2017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530075938/https://bea.aero/fileadmin/documents/docspa/2009/f-cp090601/pdf/f-cp090601.pdf |archive-date=30 May 2019 |ref={{harvid|BEA_final_French|2012}}}}
- {{Citation |language=fr |title=Accident survenu le 1er juin 2009 à l'Airbus A330-203 immatriculé F-GZCP exploité par Air France vol AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris |trans-title=Accident survenu le 1er juin 2009 à l'Airbus A330-203 immatriculé F-GZCP exploité par Air France vol AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris |author=BEA (France) |author-link=BEA (France) |date=5 July 2012 |url=https://www.bea.aero/fr/les-enquetes/les-evenements-notifies/detail/event/accident-de-lairbus-a330-203-immatricule-f-gzcp-et-exploite-par-air-france-survenu-le-01062009-da/ |publisher=BEA Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |location=Le Bourget |access-date=24 July 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010090137/https://bea.aero/fileadmin/uploads/tx_elyextendttnews/annexe.01_04.pdf |archive-date=10 October 2022 |ref={{harvid|BEA_final_French|2012}} |chapter=Annexe 1 Transcription CVR |trans-chapter=Appendix 1 CVR Transcript |chapter-url=https://bea.aero/fileadmin/uploads/tx_elyextendttnews/annexe.01_04.pdf}}
- {{Citation |language=fr |title=Accident survenu le 1er juin 2009 à l'Airbus A330-203 immatriculé F-GZCP exploité par Air France vol AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris |trans-title=Final report On the accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP operated by Air France flight AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris |author=BEA (France) |author-link=BEA (France) |date=5 July 2012 |url=https://www.bea.aero/fr/les-enquetes/les-evenements-notifies/detail/event/accident-de-lairbus-a330-203-immatricule-f-gzcp-et-exploite-par-air-france-survenu-le-01062009-da/ |publisher=BEA Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |location=Le Bourget |access-date=24 July 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530080145/https://www.bea.aero/uploads/tx_elyextendttnews/annexe.02_05.pdf |archive-date=30 May 2019 |ref={{harvid|BEA_final_French|2012}} |chapter=Annexe 2 Chronologie FDR |trans-chapter=Appendix 2 FDR Chronology |chapter-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010083849/https://bea.aero/fileadmin/uploads/tx_elyextendttnews/annexe.02_05.pdf}}
Other sources
- {{cite book |language=fr |title=Erreurs de pilotage: Tome 5 |trans-title=Pilot Error: Volume 5 |last=Otelli |first=Jean-Pierre |isbn=979-10-90465-03-9 |oclc=780308849 |publisher=Altipresse |location=Levallois-Perret |date=2011}}
- {{cite book |title=The Rio/Paris Crash: Air France 447 |last=Rapoport |first=Roger |isbn=978-0-9847142-0-9 |publisher=Lexographic Press |year=2011}}
- {{cite book |title=Angle of Attack: Air France 447 and the future of Aviation Safety |last2=Rapport |first2=Roger |last1=Malmquist |first1=Shem |publisher=Lexographic Press |year=2017 |isbn=978-0-9847142-6-1}}
- {{cite book |title=Understanding Air France 447 |last=Palmer |first=Bill |publisher=William Palmer |isbn=978-0989785723 |type=paperback |date=2013 }}
Notes
{{reflist|group=Note}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{External links|section|date=March 2017}}
{{Commons category}}
- BEA report 29 July 2011 (Synopsis of the Third interim report): [http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/note29juillet2011.en.pdf English version] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110814232418/http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/note29juillet2011.en.pdf |date=14 August 2011 }}, [http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/note29juillet2011.fr.pdf French version] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111212034952/http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/note29juillet2011.fr.pdf |date=12 December 2011 }}
- {{citation |chapter-url=http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/rapport.final.fr.php |publisher=BEA |title=Final Report |chapter=Appendixes and high resolution photos |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608070534/http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/rapport.final.fr.php |archive-date=8 June 2013}}.
- [http://www.skybrary.aero/index.php/A332,_en-route,_Atlantic_Ocean,_2009 Accident / Serious Incident Report for Air France Flight 447] on SKYbrary categorised under Loss of Control/Human Factors/Airworthiness/Weather
- [http://corporate.airfrance.com/en/press/af-447-rio-paris-cdg/ Air France Flight 447] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326054533/http://corporate.airfrance.com/en/press/af-447-rio-paris-cdg/ |date=26 March 2012 }} – Air France
- {{citation |url=https://www.bea.aero/en/investigation-reports/notified-events/detail/event/accident-de-lairbus-a330-203-immatricule-f-gzcp-et-exploite-par-air-france-survenu-le-01062009-da/#publication-ong |publisher=BEA |title=Accident to the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP and operated by Air France occurred [sic] on 06/01/2009 in the atlantic ocean |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180831125914/https://www.bea.aero/en/investigation-reports/notified-events/detail/event/accident-de-lairbus-a330-203-immatricule-f-gzcp-et-exploite-par-air-france-survenu-le-01062009-da/ |archive-date=31 August 2018}}.
- {{citation |url=https://www.bea.aero/fr/les-enquetes/les-evenements-notifies/detail/event/accident-de-lairbus-a330-203-immatricule-f-gzcp-et-exploite-par-air-france-survenu-le-01062009-da/ |publisher=BEA |title=Accident de l'Airbus A330-203 immatriculé F-GZCP et exploité par Air France survenu le 01/06/2009 dans l'océan atlantique |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190530073725/https://www.bea.aero/fr/les-enquetes/les-evenements-notifies/detail/event/accident-de-lairbus-a330-203-immatricule-f-gzcp-et-exploite-par-air-france-survenu-le-01062009-da/ |archive-date=30 May 2019 |language=fr |trans-title=Accident to the Airbus A330-203 registered F-GZCP and operated by Air France occurred [sic] on 06/01/2009 in the Atlantic Ocean}}
- {{ASN accident|id=20090601-0}}
- "[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8077304.stm Timeline of Flight AF 447]." BBC. Wednesday 10 June 2009.
- N.V. "[https://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2011/03/aviation_accidents The Difference Engine: Wild blue coffin corner]." The Economist. 25 March 2011. A clear description of the "coffin corner", where a small change in airspeed causes either stalling or breaking up of the aircraft.
- {{cite web |title=Air France 447 and the Limits of Aviation Safety |url=http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/aviation/crashes/air-france-447-and-the-limits-of-aviation-safety-10487501 |first=Jeff A |last=Wise |work=Popular Mechanics |date=9 July 2012 |access-date=4 January 2012 |quote=But the greater issue remains unaddressed. No matter how many possible scenarios a training program can simulate, pilots will continue to find themselves in unexpected circumstances.}}
- {{cite news |url=http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/death-in-the-atlantic-the-last-four-minutes-of-air-france-flight-447-a-679980.html |work=Der Spiegel |title=Death in the Atlantic: The Last Four Minutes of Air France Flight 447 |last=Traufetter |first=Gerald |date=25 February 2010 |access-date=28 May 2014}}
- {{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/brazil/5448472/Air-France-plane-debris-is-not-from-lost-aircraft.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/brazil/5448472/Air-France-plane-debris-is-not-from-lost-aircraft.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Air France plane: debris 'is not from lost aircraft' |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=5 June 2009 |access-date=23 April 2010}}{{cbignore}}
- {{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/feedarticle/8544290 |title=No wreckage found from doomed Air France plane |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=The Guardian |date=6 June 2009 |access-date=31 May 2011 |location=London |author1=Sibaja, Marco |author2=Keller, Greg}}
- {{cite web |last=Thomson |first=Jim |url=http://www.safetyinengineering.com/FileUploads/Situation%20awareness%20and%20HMI_1369663651_2.pdf |title=Situation Awareness and the Human-Machine Interface |website=SafetyInEngineering.com |date=2013 |access-date=12 September 2016 |archive-date=2 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202231502/http://www.safetyinengineering.com/FileUploads/Situation%20awareness%20and%20HMI_1369663651_2.pdf |url-status=dead }} – discusses situation awareness, coffin corner, and the Airbus sidesticks
- {{cite news |title=Air France to resume Atlantic flight recorder search |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11843453 |publisher=BBC News |date=25 November 2010 |access-date=25 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101126042302/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-11843453 |archive-date=26 November 2010 |url-status=live}}
- {{cite news |last=Langewiesche |first=William |title=The human factor |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/business/2014/10/air-france-flight-447-crash |website=Vanity Fair |date=October 2014}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.tailstrike.com/010609.html |title=Cockpit Voice Recorder transcript and accident summary |website=Tailstrike.com}}
=Press releases=
- {{citation |url=http://www.bea.aero/anglaise/actualite/af447/press.releases.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121206023639/http://www.bea.aero/anglaise/actualite/af447/press.releases.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 December 2012 |publisher=Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety |place=FR |title=Actualité |contribution=AF447 }}.
- [http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3308 From the Brazilian Air Force] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20120218232602/http://www.fab.mil.br/portal/capa/index.php?mostra=3308 Archive])
- [http://alphasite.airfrance.com/en/s01/ From Air France] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090607022848/http://alphasite.airfrance.com/en/s01 |date=7 June 2009 }}
- [http://alphasite.airfrance.com/en/s01/press-releases/ Flight Air France 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris-Charles de Gaulle Press Releases] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110104175009/http://alphasite.airfrance.com/en/s01/press-releases/ |date=4 January 2011 }}
- [http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/point.presse.05juillet2012.fr.php Point presse du 5 juillet 2012] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20130608072523/http://www.bea.aero/fr/enquetes/vol.af.447/point.presse.05juillet2012.fr.php Archive])
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in 2009}}
{{Aviation accidents and incidents in Brazil}}
{{Air France}}
Category:Accidents and incidents involving the Airbus A330
Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by ice
Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by instrument failure
Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by pilot error
Category:Aviation accidents and incidents in 2009
Category:Marine salvage operations
Category:Brazil–France relations
Category:2009 disasters in France
Category:Flight control systems
Category:June 2009 in South America
Category:Airliner accidents and incidents caused by stalls
Category:2009 disasters in Europe