The Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA), the French authority responsible for investigating plane crashes, has issued a harsh report for Air France.
This BEA report published on Tuesday August 23 is concerned about“a certain culture installed in some Air France crews which favors a propensity to underestimate the contribution of a strict application of procedures for safety” and calls the French airline to “to put respect for procedures back at the center of the company’s safety culture”.
The BEA relies on an incident that occurred on December 31, 2020 during a flight between Brazzaville (Congo) and Paris on board an Airbus A330. A fuel leak detected at cruising altitude led the crew to divert to N’Djamena airport (Chad) but without observing the safety procedure “fuel leak” which foresees the cut-off of the motor on the leakage side.
? (1/2) Investigation report on the incident involving the @Airbus #A330 F-GZCJ operated by @AirFranceFR on 31/12/2020… https://t.co/6fxY6IeIUx
“Engine shutdown (…) was deliberately omitted by the crew”observes the report. “This decision thus created a significant risk of fire and led to a significant reduction in the safety margin of the flight, the fire having been avoided by chance”continues the BEA.
If the organization highlights the number “extremely limited” of Air France flights giving rise to investigations, she says she observed “Through a number of recent surveys (…) that the crews concerned had been able (…) freeing oneself from carrying out certain procedures in a compliant manner”.
The BEA cites, for example, two incidents, the March 28 and 30, 2017, during which the same crew performed an in-flight climb that was too rapid. In another incident, the September 12, 2020, an Airbus A318 “was freed from operational procedures in order to achieve a rapid arrival on the runway at Paris-Orly”. “During the final approach, the crew had very few resources to deal with a possible unforeseen event”insists the BEA.
Surprising phrases in the operating manual
The investigation office wonders about certain sentences appearing in the Air France pilots’ operating manual such as: “knows how to deviate from the procedures in consultation with the crew when safety requires it” Where “improvise in the face of the unpredictable to obtain the most certain result”. “The BEA considers that Air France should put compliance with procedures back at the center of the company’s safety culture”advises the investigation office.
Air France assured Agence France-Presse that it had taken into account all of the report’s recommendations, stating that some had already been implemented. The company undertakes, for example, to “provide pilots with tools to replay and analyze their flights”, as recommended by the BEA. Air France also confirms that an audit will be initiated within a few months. “within the whole company” in order to “complete, if necessary, certain analyzes of this report”.