Russian investigators have warned that heavy damage to both flight-recorders of the crashed Aeroflot-Nord Boeing 737-500 means that extracting useful data will take additional time.
The 737-500 (VP-BKO) crashed on approach to the Russian city of Perm on 14 September, after a flight from Moscow. All 82 passengers and six crew on board were killed.
The Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) started examining the cockpit-voice and flight-data recorders from the aircraft last week. "During inspection of the flight recorders in our technical centre, serious damage was discovered to both tape mechanisms for the voice and data parameters," MAK says.
"To decode the recordings, given their poor condition, requires additional work using special equipment."
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It says the investigative commission will include US and French participants, representing the manufacturing states of the airframe and engines. A representative from the UK will also take part because the aircraft was Bermuda-registered.
The 737 came down on rail lines in southern Perm, about 11km (6nm) northeast of Bolshoye Savino Airport. Russia's emergencies ministry says that wreckage was spread over a 10,000m² (107,640ft²) area. The NTSB says the accident occurred "under unknown circumstances".
The aircraft involved was a 16-year-old example which Aeroflot-Nord acquired on lease in March. It had previously been operated by China's Xiamen Airlines.
Source: Flight International
