HighAndFlighty: Well, the report referenced by Kulverstukas was really painful reading.
I've added some paragraph breaks, which help a little bit.
... and I've shortened the line-length, hoping that also helps.
Issuance of the Preliminary Report for the Metrojet Russian Airplane accident
Cairo, December 14, 2015
Captain Ayman ElMokaddem, chief of the International investigation committee (Investigator
in Charge), investigating the accident of the Metrojet airplane declared that, as a progress
in the investigation work, and in accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention on International
Civil Aviation ICAO, the committee has finished the "Preliminary Report".
This report has been sent to all Accredited Representatives for the States that have the
right to participate in the investigation, in addition to the International Civil Aviation
Organization ICAO.
Captain ElMokaddem added that the report includes 19 typical articles well known in accidents
investigations, and includes the preliminary information that is available to the investigation
committee up till this date. The report includes also some information that will be subjected
to developments through the next phases of investigation.
Captain El Mokaddem indicated that the scope of investigation for the wreckage parts has extended
for more than 16 kilometers from the main wreckage site. He assured also that the members of
the forensic medicine task group within the investigation committee had received the reports
regarding the examination of the bodies made by the forensic doctors. The committee is waiting
for the comparison reports from the Russian side to identify the victims status after knowing
the DNA analysis for their families and kins.
The committee received support from Egyptian experts, faculty of engineering, Cairo University for
producing photos for the airplane wreckage, using a three dimensional advanced camera, to assist in
making a record for the status and shape of the wreckage and its relative positions at the impact
site. About 30 working hours were dedicated to this task. In addition, a specialized team from the
"Metallurgy Center for Researches and Development" had visited the wreckage site for the visual
examination, preparing for the second phase of wreckage analysis after transferring it to Cairo.
The committee has offered the full opportunity to all the concerned parties including the insurance
company officials and the Russian working team to examine the wreckage at the site. This was
done in accordance with the international regulations, before transferring the wreckage from
the site for the following investigation phases.
Flight Data Recorder FDR information indicated that all the flights made by this airplane, five
days before the accident were between Russian airports and Egyptian airports. For the flight just
before the accident flight, the airplane departed from Samara Russia and landed in Sharm El Sheik.
The system group within the investigation committee, spent about 30 hours in removing 38
computer units belonging to the airplane, in addition to two other computer units belonging
to the engines from the wreckage at the accident site. The units had been transferred to Cairo
for the purpose of thorough investigation by the specialized task groups.
The operation group within the investigation committee, with the Russian side, had examined
the pilots’ information related to their flying licenses and their medical check. Detailed
examinations of the information related to the pilots training are being done now, after
translating this information from the Russian language.
The technical status, and the detailed repairs that were carried out on the airplane, its
structure, systems and engines since the date of production up to the date of the accident,
are being studied now. This study is supported by the relevant airplane technical documents
and records delivered from the Russian side. This study needs plenty of time, as the airplane
had been produced on 1997.
The wreckage group within the investigation committee, and for about 250 working hours, have
done an extensive photography, identified the locations, sorted and classified the wreckage
parts scattered within the wreckage site, developed a wreckage plan to deduce the different
effects on each part of the airplane, linking this with the technical history to use that in
the following investigation phase. Work in this area is still under progress.
Captain El Mokaddem added that, all the Accredited Representatives representing the states
participating in the investigation have been granted all the rights that are defined in Annex
13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. Cooperation and communication with them
are still in a continuation process to exchange information regarding the accident.
Fifteen trips to the wreckage site have been organized by the Egyptian Air force using helicopters.
Coordination is still under progress with the Egyptian Army, to benefit from their capabilities
so as to transfer the wreckage from the accident site, after completing all the required
examinations, and to collect it in a secure place in Cairo that allow the committee to start
new phases of investigation.