Walter:
The SuperTANS was working to the end (from the recovered data, thanks to the back up battery) and yet the switch was found in the OFF position....
Mr Cable (AAIB) was adamant that it had to have been in the off position, the smoke deposits indicating that it must have been off ....
before the ground fire spread enough to effect that area of the wreckage.
Sorry, Walter, I missed the comment you made re the TANS switch as I was responding to three other members in my last post. The first two parts of your quote I have no problem with, but with respect I think the last part is your comment and not Mr Cable's. Please correct me if I am wrong. I think that the inference of Mr Cable's comment is that the switch was Off before the aircraft crashed. That is why I asked if that meant that the pilot displays were inhibited but that the Super TANS kept computing anyway, the only way that the data could be retrieved post accident if the pilots had selected Off. Could anyone familiar with the fit comment? Otherwise either Walter is right, ie someone moved the switch in the wreckage before fire engulfed the cockpit area, or the retrieved data is bogus. Anyone?