TransAsia Airways Flight GE 235 Occurrence
On February 4, 2015, TransAsia Airways passenger flight GE 235, an ATR 72-600 aircraft, B-22816, took off from Songshan Airport at 1051 Taipei time for Kinmen Airport carrying two pilots and one observer with 2 cabin crews and 53 passengers. Total 58 persons onboard. Three minutets after takeoff, the aircraft lost contact and crashed into Keelung River. According to emergency response unit, 35 death and 8 persons unaccounted until now.
The Aviation Safety Council (ASC) was informed by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (CAA) and convened the pre-investigation meeting. A Go-team with 8 persons was launched right after the meeting. Today (February 6) an investigation team is organized with total of 38 members including advisors from Aircraft Manufacturer (ATR), Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses (BEA), Engine Manufacturer (PWC), Transport Canada(TC), Transportation Safety Board, Canada (TSB), the operator (TransAsia Airways) and CAA to participate in the investigation.
The flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder(CVR) were recovered on February 4. The CVR contained 2 hours of recording and the FDR recorded approximately 750 types of data. On February 5, most of the aircraft wreckage were recovered and transferred to SongShan Airforce base. All investigation team's progress have been published in the news.
Information collected by investigation team has been compiled and released on 6 Feb during the press conference. The Investigator in-charge(IIC) of this occurrence emphasized the objective of the investigation is to prevent reoccurrence of a similar occurrences. It is not the purpose of such investigation to apportion blame or liability. Also, to clarify the investigation procedures and processes.
GE235 flight received take off clearance from SongShan tower at 1051:13, after took off, at 1052:33.8 ATC controller requested the crew to contact Taipei approach. After 5 seconds, (1052:38.3), master warning sounded in the cockpit associated with right engine(2) flame out procedure message on display unit. The crew called it out. At 1053:04.0 the recorded parameters indicated that the left engine power lever(1) was progressively retarded to flight idle. At 1053:24, the left engine condition lever(1) was set to fuel shutoff position resulting in left engine(1) shutdown. Between 1053:12.6 to 1053:18.8, several stall warnings sounded. Flight crew declared an emergency at 1053:34.9 and reported an engine flame out. At 1054:09.2, flight crew called several time for engine restart. At 1054:20 the recorded parameters indicates a restart of the left engine(1). At 1054:34.4, master warning sounded, 0.4 seconds later, CVR recorded unidentified sound. Both recorders stopped recording at 1054:36.
The above information are preliminary and subject to change.
Sherry Liu, Engineer
Tel: 89127388-330
Email: sherry@asc.gov.tw