The Guvnor
5th Nov 2000, 12:26
The national airline, Air Botswana and the police force come out badly from the report of the accident investigation board which was
charged with the responsibility for finding factors that led to former AB pilot, Chris Phatshwe's suicide crash last year.
The report, entitled: "Report on the accident to ATR-42 aircraft, registered A2 -ABB and A2-ABC (as well as A2 AJD) on October 11,
1999 at Sir Seretse Khama Airport, Gaborone, Botswana" has squarely blamed two government organisations for not taking precautions.
In its finding, a panel of investigators said that "AB aircraft were not kept under lock during the night at SSKA (Sir Seretse Khama
Airport) and Central and Urban Police station officials were informed about the pilot's intentions of possible destruction of property about five hours prior to the accident but did not make a follow-up," the report which is due to be published states.
"Phatshwe, who was on a suicide mission, took one of Air Botswana aircraft registered A2-ABB without permission at 0405 hrs and
flew over Gaborone at a very low altitude. At the time he had been assigned to non-flying duties, namely, flight safety officer, when it was discovered that he was sick.
"The investigations also established that he wanted to speak to His Excellency (HE), the president, AB's general manager, the
Director of Civil Aviation, the Station Commander of Central Police station, his [ex]girlfriend, and his younger brother. He also wanted his son to be brought to the airport," the report said.
Further, it stated that "apparently after he was told HE was out of the country, the pilot wanted to speak to the Vice President
instead. Actually the pilot was recorded as saying a Botswana Defence Force (BDF) chopper should go and bring the VP to the airport."
According to the report, at some stage, he wanted to tell GM, HE or VP and the Director of Civil Aviation to write a letter announcing salary adjustments for all the pilots.
He said they should write the letters, distribute them among concerned people, and write out the first cheque for each one of them.
In addition, he said, if they talked nicely to him, he would then go and crash into the bush. He also said HE should fire the GM the
same day," the report said."Accordingly, later on, the pilot expressed his concern that AB had not complied with his instructions to line up all the three aircraft along the runway. And while negotiations were still going on, the pilot suddenly changed his mind and
stated he was coming for the two ATR-42 aircraft that were parked on the apron, saying people should clear the apron," the report states.
"Soon after that, he stopped talking to the people in the tower, saying, 'I hope after I die something will be done for the pilots. We've suffered long enough'. He then bade farewell and told them that he was closing down his radios," states the report.
The investigators said at the moment of the impact, the aircraft hit about mid- way and to the rear of the fuselage, broke off its tail section, and swung 180 degrees about its vertical axis. That caused the wing of the doomed aircraft to rupture together "with its engine probably detached from the fuselage and turned upside down".
The post-mortem on his body was conducted on the day of the crash and the conclusion of the report was that "the pilot died from
head injuries and brain damage.
"The relevant tests revealed 0, 5 of carbon monoxide content in the blood and 29 ml/100 ml of alcohol content in the blood. Tests also revealed there was HIV virus in the blood," the report said.
However, even though management was concerned about his health and attitude, it did not engage a professional to diagnose his
problem. And he is reported to have collapsed, before he was grounded, while at home after having flown in from Johannesburg.
The report slated AB for not having an AIDS policy, a safety management programme and a substantive operations manager in place.
It also questioned the credentials of the AB general manager and the Permanent Secretary of Works, Transport and Communications
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:) Happiness is a warm L1011 :)
charged with the responsibility for finding factors that led to former AB pilot, Chris Phatshwe's suicide crash last year.
The report, entitled: "Report on the accident to ATR-42 aircraft, registered A2 -ABB and A2-ABC (as well as A2 AJD) on October 11,
1999 at Sir Seretse Khama Airport, Gaborone, Botswana" has squarely blamed two government organisations for not taking precautions.
In its finding, a panel of investigators said that "AB aircraft were not kept under lock during the night at SSKA (Sir Seretse Khama
Airport) and Central and Urban Police station officials were informed about the pilot's intentions of possible destruction of property about five hours prior to the accident but did not make a follow-up," the report which is due to be published states.
"Phatshwe, who was on a suicide mission, took one of Air Botswana aircraft registered A2-ABB without permission at 0405 hrs and
flew over Gaborone at a very low altitude. At the time he had been assigned to non-flying duties, namely, flight safety officer, when it was discovered that he was sick.
"The investigations also established that he wanted to speak to His Excellency (HE), the president, AB's general manager, the
Director of Civil Aviation, the Station Commander of Central Police station, his [ex]girlfriend, and his younger brother. He also wanted his son to be brought to the airport," the report said.
Further, it stated that "apparently after he was told HE was out of the country, the pilot wanted to speak to the Vice President
instead. Actually the pilot was recorded as saying a Botswana Defence Force (BDF) chopper should go and bring the VP to the airport."
According to the report, at some stage, he wanted to tell GM, HE or VP and the Director of Civil Aviation to write a letter announcing salary adjustments for all the pilots.
He said they should write the letters, distribute them among concerned people, and write out the first cheque for each one of them.
In addition, he said, if they talked nicely to him, he would then go and crash into the bush. He also said HE should fire the GM the
same day," the report said."Accordingly, later on, the pilot expressed his concern that AB had not complied with his instructions to line up all the three aircraft along the runway. And while negotiations were still going on, the pilot suddenly changed his mind and
stated he was coming for the two ATR-42 aircraft that were parked on the apron, saying people should clear the apron," the report states.
"Soon after that, he stopped talking to the people in the tower, saying, 'I hope after I die something will be done for the pilots. We've suffered long enough'. He then bade farewell and told them that he was closing down his radios," states the report.
The investigators said at the moment of the impact, the aircraft hit about mid- way and to the rear of the fuselage, broke off its tail section, and swung 180 degrees about its vertical axis. That caused the wing of the doomed aircraft to rupture together "with its engine probably detached from the fuselage and turned upside down".
The post-mortem on his body was conducted on the day of the crash and the conclusion of the report was that "the pilot died from
head injuries and brain damage.
"The relevant tests revealed 0, 5 of carbon monoxide content in the blood and 29 ml/100 ml of alcohol content in the blood. Tests also revealed there was HIV virus in the blood," the report said.
However, even though management was concerned about his health and attitude, it did not engage a professional to diagnose his
problem. And he is reported to have collapsed, before he was grounded, while at home after having flown in from Johannesburg.
The report slated AB for not having an AIDS policy, a safety management programme and a substantive operations manager in place.
It also questioned the credentials of the AB general manager and the Permanent Secretary of Works, Transport and Communications
------------------
:) Happiness is a warm L1011 :)