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GEORGETOWN, Guyana CMC – Director General of the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), Zulfikar Mohammed, says pilot error led to the July 30, 2011 crash of a Caribbean Airlines flight.
According to Mohammed, the report on the mishap will be studied and released by Transport Minister, Robeson Benn.
On Thursday, the GCAA boss explained that the report would say exactly what happened and emphasise several areas for safety. “They will tell you what actions should be taken in terms of improving safety, preventing accidents of this sort from happening again,” he said.
Mohammed’s explanation followed confirmation by Presidential Advisor on Governance, Gail Teixeira, earlier Thursday, of what had been known hours after the crash – the pilot engaged in a “long-landing” on the CJIA runway that prevented him from stopping the Boeing 737-800 before it could have ran off the 7,400 long runway half way over a ravine. The plane cracked in half.
The GCAA-led probe received support from the United States’ National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Caribbean Aviation Safety and Security Oversight (CASSOS), Caribbean Airlines, Trinidad and Tobago’s Civil Aviation Authority and Boeing Aircraft Company.
In July, eight Guyanese passengers filed lawsuits claiming a total of GUY$8 million associated with alleged negligent operation of Caribbean Airlines Flight # BW523.
