MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazilean Air Force blames Airbus for Sao Paulo's tragedy

Brazil's Air Force directly blamed Airbus for the recent tragedy in the Sao Paulo Congonhas airport which killed 200 people.

"The accident will most certainly trigger a major war between the world's main manufacturers because this is the third Airbus accident originated in a mechanical failure" said Brigadier Jorge Kersul Filho, head of Brazil's Air Force Air Accidents Research and Prevention Center. According to Brig Kersul the accident originated in a blocked speed reverser in one of the turbines which impeded the landing aircraft from slowing and stopping at the end of the runway. Instead it kept running and crashed into one of the TAM airline support buildings killing all aboard and people on the ground. "The manufacturer should have already addressed the issue to avoid new accidents of this kind", Brig Kersul is quoted by the local newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo. On Sunday, Brazil's leading magazine Veja published that the reason for the accident was a human error, from the pilot, who did not activate the (non operational) reverser turbine lever and caused the aircraft to accelerate on the runway. Brigadier Kersul recalled that previous to the Sao Paulo tragedy similar accidents with Airbus occurred in Philippines in 1998 and in Taiwan in 2004. However the Brazilian press does establish a difference in circumstances since the Congonhas airport is virtually in the middle of Sao Paulo surrounded by residential and commercial buildings, which increased the consequences of the tragedy.