Crew confusion found in Athens plane crash

[VVJM265]

http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/09/06/news/crash.php

 

[TonyC]

Complicating the cockpit confusion, neither the German pilot nor the young, inexperienced Cypriot co-pilot could speak the same language fluently, and each had difficulty understanding how the other spoke English, the worldwide language of air traffic control.

Oh, that's gotta be bad.







.

 

[ackattacker]

Ouch.

Of all the possible scenarios bandied about, this one seemed the least likely... both pilots not knowing enough about systems to understand the alarm.

Question for 737 drivers.... is there no specific warning message for cabin altitude? Just a buzzer?

 

[User546]

The article stated that the warning sound indicates a possibility of two problems: The airplane was inproperly configured for takeoff, or the cabin was not pressurizing.

Since this alarm went off at 10,000 feet, which one of those two make the most sense to troubleshoot?

Heck, even if there was confusion, if there was only two possible indications for that warning to go off, don't you think you should probably check both just to be safe? Especially something as serious as a pressurization issue?

Seems like theres more to that then they're saying... surely the crew couldn't be that incompetent.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

If the cabin wasn't pressurizing correctly, my ears popping like crazy would be an automatic indication that something wasn't right, confusinf alarms or not.

Interesting info.

 

[PastFastMover]

If the cabin wasn't pressurizing correctly, my ears popping like crazy would be an automatic indication that something wasn't right, confusinf alarms or not.

Interesting info.

I agree with you S's M. From my old flight engineer days, my ears pick up the least bit of cabin pressure change or lack of change. But I have flown with many many folks whose ear drums must be made of 3 inch thick cowhide and would never catch any changes what-so-ever. While your ears are screaming that something is wrong, the person sitting 3 feet from you is in blissfull ignorance. I guess everyone is different.

 

[ms6073]

The article stated that the warning sound indicates a possibility of two problems: The airplane was inproperly configured for takeoff, or the cabin was not pressurizing.

Since this alarm went off at 10,000 feet, which one of those two make the most sense to troubleshoot?

Heck, even if there was confusion, if there was only two possible indications for that warning to go off, don't you think you should probably check both just to be safe? Especially something as serious as a pressurization issue?

Any of the following conditions would trigger a Take-Off configuration warning (typically gear down is down and locked):

• Stabilizer trim is not in the proper range
• Trailing edge flaps are not set in the flaps 5 through 15 take-off range
• The leading edge flaps are not in the correct position for take-off
• Speed brake lever inot in the down position
• Parking brake is applied when TO thrust is set

While the cabin altitude warning horn does sound like the take-off configuration warning horn, it can only be inhibited by pressing the Alt Horn Cutout button on the Cabin Pressure Control System located in the overhead panel.

 

[mar]

Boeing 737 factory checklist

I'm guessing most operators use a checklist based on Boeing procedures.

Isn't there a "differential--check" on the After T/O checklist?

"Capt the diff is ZERO"

"Hmm, zats interesting, let's stop climbing....."

Monday morning quarterbackin'. Gotta love it....