Air France crash controversy continues

An Air France flight in July suffered similar technical problems to the Airbus A330 that crashed into the Atlantic two years ago (AF447), French media reported last week, reigniting a debate over the disaster's causes.

Air investigators told France's Le Figaro newspaper that the details of the latest incident involving one of the company's Airbus jets might make them think again about what made flight AF447 crash in the middle of the South Atlantic in 2009.  Blame has not been appropriated but the investigation reports published so far have highlighted mistakes said to be made on the flight deck.

Pilots' unions and Air France insist the faulty flight equipment was mostly to blame. 

On a flight from Paris to Caracas in July an A340 hit severe turbulence while cruising at 35,000ft, and accelerated rapidly, causing the autopilot to switch itself off.  According to La Figaro the plane then climbed sharply and began to lose speed as the crew dealt with the problem.  Whatever caused the incident, and how it was treated might lead the BEA (French accident investigation organisation) to change its mind regarding AF447.  A final report is due out in mid-2012. www.bea.aero/en

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