...

Reports: Three indicted in Madrid air crash

Other News Materials 16 October 2008 13:10 (UTC +04:00)

An investigating judge has indicted two aviation technicians and a maintenance chief for the Madrid air crash that killed 154 people on August 20, Spanish media reported Thursday.

The three could be charged on 154 counts of imprudent homicide and 18 counts of producing injuries, the daily El Mundo said in its internet edition, reproted dpa.

Judge Juan Javier Perez called the three for hearings, and ordered the creation of a second investigating commission in addition to a civil aviation commission that has released a preliminary report on the accident, according to the radio station Cadena Ser.

The Spanair MD-82 jet that crashed immediately after take-off did not have its wing flaps and slats deployed, and the plane's warning system failed to inform the pilots of the problem, according to the preliminary report.

The flaps and slats help to lift aircraft on take-off.

Two Spanair mechanics at Madrid airport disconnected a faulty temperature gauge from the MD-82 before it took off, but may have failed to suspect that the problem could be connected to others in mechanisms including the cockpit warning system, Judge Perez was quoted as saying in his ruling.

The judge also indicted the Spanair maintenance chief at Madrid airport.

Judge Perez began hearing witnesses on Wednesday in a new phase of the investigation after the civil aviation commission released its report.

Perez ordered the creation of a new commission to obtain information faster, reports said. The new commission will comprise pilots, mechanics and engineers.

Eighteen people survived Spain's worst aviation accident in 25 years.

Latest

Latest