Investigation into Swissair Flight 111 Crash Reveals Manual Flying and Potential Power Failure

Canadian investigator Vic Gerden announced that the pilot of Swissair Flight 111, Captain Urs Zimmerman, was flying the plane manually in the last moments before the crash, which occurred on September 2, claiming the lives of all 229 passengers on board. The investigation suggests that a power failure may have disabled the autopilot system, forcing the pilot to take control of the plane. The Swissair MD-11 had three power sources, and the flight data recorder stopped functioning about six minutes before the crash, indicating that the plane had lost at least one power source.

Key Takeaways:

• The pilot of Swissair Flight 111 was flying the plane manually in the last moments before the crash.
• There is a possibility of a power failure that may have disabled the autopilot system.
• The investigation suggests that the plane had lost at least one power source, as the flight data recorder stopped functioning about six minutes before the crash.
• The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were recovered from the wreckage, and analysis of the data could point to the cause of the crash.
• The recovery of the wreckage is ongoing, with the US Navy's USS Grapple being used to salvage the plane.
• Speculation of a total power failure also implies that the crew may have been unable to close the dumping vents, while a computer shutdown would have deprived the pilot of vital data.
• The manufacturer of the plane's wiring system has confirmed that the wiring was wrapped in an aromatic polyamide tape banned from use in US Navy planes but still used in commercial aircraft.
• The investigation is ongoing, and the recovery of the wreckage is expected to provide crucial information about the cause of the crash.

Statistics:

• 229 people lost their lives in the crash of Swissair Flight 111 on September 2.
• The flight data recorder stopped functioning about six minutes before the crash.
• The cockpit voice recorder has been recovered, but its data is not yet available.
• The US Navy's USS Grapple is being used to salvage the wreckage of the plane.
• Almost 800 family members of victims have gathered near the crash site.
• The investigation is ongoing, with forensic pathologists working to identify the remains of the victims.

Sources:

• Vic Gerden, Canadian investigator, quoted in the article.
• Navy Capt. Phil Webster, quoted in the article.
• Royal Canadian Mounted Police Chief Superintendent Stephen Duncan, quoted in the article.
• Copyright 1998 by United Press International. All rights reserved.