On a domestic passenger flight in Malawi, a military aircraft (the Do228-202(K)) crashed into a hill in marginal weather conditions, resulting in the fatal injuries of all nine occupants on board. The aircraft was destroyed.
At the request of the Malawian government, the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU), representing the state of design and manufacturer, dispatched an investigation team to Malawi.
After completing a field recce in Malawi, the BFU team returned to Germany for analytical operations on the data fetched. A preliminary statement has been released, revealing that findings of their work will be finalized and released for public access next month.
The FBU has, in its media statement, informed that they received full co-operation from Malawian authorities: “The team was supported by experts from the Civil Aviation Administration of Malawi and the Malawi Armed Forces”, says FBU hinting that:
“During the investigation, a Global Positioning System (GPS) was recovered from the wreckage and transported to the BFU’s recorder and avionics laboratory, where the data from the accident flight and other flights stored in the GPS will be thoroughly analyzed”.
Malawi engaged Germany and delegated the investigations into the plane crash to the Germany’s FBU in accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention of International Civil Aviation of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
The BFU has since announced that it is expected to publish an Interim Report both in German and English on its website by the end of August.
The Final Report, FBU discloses, including the analysis of the facts, conclusions, causes, and possible safety recommendations, will be published later on thereafter.
The FBU has emphasized that the ongoing investigation is being carried out separately and independently of any judicial or administrative proceedings, with the sole purpose of accident prevention.
“The investigation reports and safety recommendations will not contain any statements of guilt, liability, or claims” reads the statement published on FBU website.
