Dutch investigate fatal Turkish Airlines crash

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Turkish Airlines Accident

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-02-26 21:18

AMSTERDAM -- Investigators took detailed photos of the wreckage of a Turkish Airlines Boeing 737 and analyzed black box recordings Thursday, trying to piece together why the plane lost speed and crashed into a muddy field, killing nine people and injuring 86.

An emergency worker walks past the engine of a crashed Turkish Airlines passenger plane at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport February 25, 2009. [Agencies]

Flight TK1951 from Istanbul fell out of the sky about two miles (three kilometers) short of the runway at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport on Wednesday morning, smashing into three pieces and spraying luggage and debris across a farmer's field. It was carrying 134 passengers and crew.

Despite the catastrophic impact, the wreckage did not burn and dozens of people walked away with only minor injuries. Emergency services evacuated the injured to nearby hospitals, six were still in critical condition on Thursday. Both pilots died in the crash.

Fred Sanders, spokesman for the Dutch Safety Authority, said the flight's data recorders and voice tapes have already been sent to Paris, where crash investigation experts will analyze the recordings. He said that study would take several days.

Investigators in white overalls and blue helmets clambered in and out of the wreckage Thursday while others inspected the remains of the plane's two engines.

Investigators will explore a wide range of possible causes, ranging from weather-related factors to insufficient fuel, navigational errors, pilot fatigue or bird strikes. Sanders said a preliminary result may be made public soon, although the full report will not be ready for months.

Investigators plan to interview crew members, passengers and witnesses on the ground and will explore a number of possible causes, including insufficient fuel, weather-related factors or bird strikes. Sanders said a preliminary result may be made public soon, although the full report will not be ready for months.

Turkish Transport Minister Binali Yildirim said a Turkish team of experts had left for the Netherlands to assist in the investigation. He also paid tribute to the pilot for minimizing casualties by landing on the soft field.

"I would like to commemorate the pilot, who at the cost of his own life, ensured that human casualties were low," Yildirim said.

One survivor, Jihad Alariachi, said there was no warning from the cockpit to brace for landing before the ground loomed up through the drizzle.

"We braked really hard, but that's normal in a landing. And then the nose went up. And then we bounced ... with the nose aloft" before the final impact, she said.

Witnesses on the ground said the plane dropped from about 90 meters (300 feet).

Airport police spokesman Rob Stenacker said information about the passengers who died would be released later Thursday.

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