Human error shatters Westair 41-year maintenance record
Written by By Deon Schlechter
Thursday, 18 September 2008
THE 41 year old flawless record of the country’s largest aviation maintenance facility was dealt a severe blow following the investigation into the latest plane crash at Eros Airport.
The investigation uncovered evidence that Westair Maintenance carried out negligent work on the Cessna 210 that went down in Hochland Park in Windhoek, killing one passenger and injuring three others as well as the Swiss pilot. The investigation concluded that engineers did not remove a plastic bag fitted over the air pipes of the ill-fated Cessna engine after carrying out maintenance work, and that blockage in the air system caused the crash.
Owner of Westair, Wolfie Grellmann, told Informanté “it was the worst nightmare of my 43 years in Civil Aviation when the investigation showed that human error in our workshops was responsible for the Cessna 210 crashing after take-off.”
He said Westair had built up an impeccable reputation over 41 years, and assured Informanté that it was not a faulty system that led to the piece of metal being found in the engine of the crashed plane during the initial investigation. “We have been constantly upgrading our maintenance system to adhere to the strict requirements laid down, but one can never rule out the human error. “Not even the most thorough checking system can detect a tiny piece of hidden metal left behind in the engine once it has been sealed. Checking can then only be done on what is visible.
“We adhere to the highest standards in the industry and believe we have a system in place that can detect any faulty workmanship, but there is no detector for the human factor. “No mistake is acceptable, but this kind of thing can happen even when a 100% checklist was performed on maintenance work. It is sad, but unfortunately true.” He said that in 41 years Westair has never been slapped with an insurance claim for sloppy maintenance work.
“What the current crash investigation has revealed is the worst news I have received as owner of this reputable maintenance facility in my career.”
Informanté has meanwhile learned that the Swiss passengers injured in the disaster, are not considering an insurance claim against Westair for negligence.
They have also indicated that they will not issue a statement on what they experienced on their first visit to Namibia. A visitor to their bedsides in the Roman Catholic Hospital in Windhoek told Informanté the injured tourists spoke in high regard of their Swiss pilot, Rene Klum, who also survived the crash.
Aviation inspectors and bystanders at the horrible crash site in Windhoek told Informanté the way Klum handled the emergency and the manner in which he put down the Cessna 210 in a confined space “was nothing short of a miracle.” Informanté has established Klum is an ex-Swiss Air pilot with years of experience in the cockpits of jets as well as single-engine planes like the Cessna 210.