Ministère de l’écologie, de l’énergie, du développement durable et de la mer, en charge des technologies vertes et des négociations sur le climat
Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses
pour la sécurité de l’aviation civile
Interim report
f-cp090601ae
on the accident on 1st June 2009
to the Airbus A330-203
registered F-GZCP
operated by Air France
flight AF 447 Rio de Janeiro – Paris
F-GZCP - 1st June 2009
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This document has been prepared on the basis of the initial information
gathered during the investigation, without any analysis and - given the
continuing absence of wreckage, the flight recorders, radar tracks and
direct testimony - without any description of the circumstances of the
accident. Some of the points covered may evolve with time. Nothing in the
presentation of this interim report or in the points that are raised therein
should be interpreted as an indication of the orientation or conclusions of
the investigation.
In accordance with Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil
Aviation, with EC directive 94/56 and with the French Civil Aviation Code,
the investigation is not conducted in such a way as to apportion blame
or to assess individual or collective responsibility. The sole objective is
to draw lessons from this occurrence which may help to prevent future
accidents or incidents
SPECIAL FOREWORD TO ENGLISH EDITION
This interim report has been translated and published by the BEA to
make its reading easier for English-speaking people. As accurate as the
translation may be, the original text in French should be considered as the
work of reference.
Foreword

F-GZCP - 1st June 2009
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Table of Contents
FOREWORD 1
GLOSSARY 5
SYNOPSIS 9
ORGANISATION OF THE INVESTIGATION 11
1. FACTUAL INFORMATION 13
1.1 History of Flight 13
1.2 Killed and Injured 14
1.3 Damage to Aircraft 14
1.4 Other Damage 14
1.5 Personnel Information 14
1.5.1 Flight crew 14
1.5.2 Cabin crew 17
1.6 Aircraft Information 19
1.6.1 Airframe 19
1.6.2 Engines 20
1.6.3 Weight and balance 20
1.6.4 Condition of the aircraft before departure 20
1.6.5 Maintenance operations follow-up 21
1.6.6 Information on the airspeed measuring system 21
1.6.7 Checks and maintenance of the Pitot probes 23
1.6.8 ACARS communication system 24
1.6.9 Centralised Maintenance System 25
1.6.10 Radio communications system 28
1.7 Meteorological Conditions 28
1.7.1 Meteorological Situation 28
1.7.2 Comments on the information available 29
1.8 Aids to Navigation 33
1.9 Communications 33
1.9.1 Communications between the control centres 34
1.9.2 Coordination between the control centres 35
1.10 Aerodrome Information 37
F-GZCP - 1st June 2009
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1.11 Flight Recorders 37
1.12 Wreckage and Impact Information 37
1.12.1 Localisation of the bodies and aircraft parts 37
1.12.2 Identification of the items recovered 38
1.12.3 Visual inspection 38
1.12.4 Summary of visual examination 40
1.13 Medical and Pathological Information 40
1.14 Fire 41
1.15 Survival Aspects 41
1.16 Tests and Research 45
1.16.1 Sea Searches 45
1.16.2 ACARS messages 48
1.17 Information on Organisations and Management 57
1.17.1 Preparation of flights within Air France 57
1.17.2 Work cycles and flight crew rest 61
1.17.3 Instruction for use of the on-board weather radar 63
1.17.4 Letters of agreement between air traffic control
organisations 64
1.17.5 Experimental implementation of the ADS-C system
at Dakar 66
1.18 Additional information 66
1.18.1 Events associated with erroneous air speed indications 66
1.18.2 Brief history of the Pitot probes on Airbus A330 / A340 67
1.18.3 Testimony of crews in flight in the vicinity of the accident
zone 67
1.18.4 Procedures to be applied in case an unreliable speed
indication is detected 69
2. INITIAL FINDINGS 70
LIST OF APPENDICES 73
F-GZCP - 1st June 2009
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Glossary
AAIB Air Accident Investigation Branch
ACARS Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System
ACP Audio Control Panel
ADIRU Air Data and Inertial Reference Unit
ADM Air Data Module
ADR Air Data Reference
ADS-C Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract
AFS Automatic Flight System
AIC Aeronautical Information Circular
AMU Audio Management Panel
AOC Airline Operational Control
ASECNA Air Traffic Safety Agency for Africa and Madagascar
ATA Air Transport Association of America
　
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本文鏈接地址：Interim report on the accident on 1st June 2009 to the Airbu