Embraer 190 Loss of Control in Flight

An Embraer ERJ-190 operating flight from Maputo (Mozambique) to Luanda, (Angola), crashed in the Bwabwata National Park (Namibia). The airplane was destroyed and all 27 passengers and six crew members were killed. The airplane proceeded over Botswana at FL380 and minutes before the crash the co-pilot left the cockpit for the lavatory. The captain then manually changed the altitude preselector from 38,000 feet to an altitude of 4,288 feet. This was changed to 1,888 feet and then to 592 feet. The auto throttle was manually reengaged and throttle level then automatically retarded and set to idle. The airspeed was manually selected several times until the end of the recording, which remained close to the Vmo. During the descent the captain used the speed brake handle to activate the spoilers. One the CVR sounds were heard of someone pounding on the cockpit door. The investigators stated that the reasons for these actions are unknown at this time. Rumours on several web sites suggest the captain's son had died about a year prior to the accident. In the period leading up to the accident he is said to have had serious marital problems.

Attached Files

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