Brazilian theories on the Gol crash and the treatment of the US pilots

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Brazil's blog forums are buzzing, if you can read Portuguese, and there appears to be a concerted opinion forming.


The topic of interest is the fatal crash of Gol Lihnas A駻eas flight 1907. Indeed, type in "V 1907" into a blog search engine such as Technorati.com and a multitude appear, such as those from Varanda Cuibana, As M痊imas do Joe Baloo, O Blog do Barretto and the well-read Primera Clase.


Among the postings you'll find lots of detailed official-looking diagrams of the mid-air collision, all purporting to be from sources within the accident investigation (one example pictured below).
Gol 737 collision diagram

These show the wingtip of the Legacy scoring the underside of the 737-800's wing, forcing part of it to shear off, causing a death spiral of just less than 2min. This is close to the theory of most informed observers, including Flight (although clearly there are many unanswered questions).


Yet dig deeper and there is quiet a conspiracy theory being developed among some posters. I'll let you go and find it yourself, rather than risk libel on these global corporatation-owned pages.


But needless to say, the Brazilian public is upset at the tragic loss of close to 160 passengers over dense jungle.


But there is anger at the US response to the detention of the two Exelaire pilots in command of the Embraer Legacy 600. The Legacy pilots have had their passports confiscated pending military investigation into the crash and could face manslaughter charges if found to be to blame.


While the Brazilian press is remaining neutral, the online community is baying for blood. Someone has to pay the price, and all the better if it's a yanqui, they reason.


Brazilians have long been outraged that the post 9/11 security arrangements force them to apply for a visa, along with visitors from the developing world. So when US congressman Steve Israel (Dem-NY) said he was to raise the issue of the pilots' treatment at the hands of the Brazilian authorities with US foreign affairs supremo Condoleezza Rice ahead of her South American tour, bloggers went into overdrive. The fact that Rice expressed support for the Brazilian authorities was overlooked in the wave of paranoia that saw Os Gringos going into bat to free their hero pilots in the face of a "third world regime" (in the minds of the majority of bloggers). Media in the USA was far less jingoistic in the main than the bloggeristos made it out to be. 


 


Inconsistency also plagues the blogs. Different reports had the Amazon Two either locked up in a military prison or ensconced in a plush Rio de Janeiro hotel.


Worst were the horrific pictures purporting to those of the victims posted on many sites. The provenance of the photos is unchecked, but they are designed to shock the USA into reversing its perceived campaign to free the pilots.


The main US blog presence, meanwhile, has not been opinion or Brazil-bashing, but the sensitive, descriptive blogs of the journalists onboard the Legacy, principally those from the New York Times and the Washington Post.


Explore the Brazilian blog jungle at your peril.

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5 Comments

The depiction of the Legacy wingtip shearing off a wing section of the 737 seems very improbable based on the very slight damage to the Legacy wingtip fairing shown in photos and the massive wing structure of a 737. It seems more logical that the Legacy wingtip impacted a far more sensitive area such as the windshield---a far more damaging life-threatening situation. Also the Legacy stabilizer fairing damage could have creased the 737 tail given the above but again unless striking an elevator unlikely to bring the 737 down. Most of these wingtip and stabilizer fairings are also mostly fiberglass. The Legacy damage is minimal!

Robert

Robert Knollenberg

Its been established that air traffic control is needed to separate high flying fast traffic from one another. What part did ATC (or lack thereof) play and why would the Enbraer pilots be singled out? What were the Gol pilots doing to avoid this accident? Why are they not just as culpable in the eyes of the Brazilian aviation authorities? Just what kind of vandetta do these "authorities" have anyway against american pilots. I think they need to examine why their ATC didn't prevent this in the first place...

flyjbd

Based on my rough calculations taking into account the upward flexing of the 737 Wingtips, the legacy was likely more inboard of the 737 wing. Based on the limited information provided by the centre section photograph in the jungle, it does appear there is an impact mark near where the left hand engine would be. It's possible, therefore that the Legacy wingtip may have passed through the space between the left hand engine and the fuselage just outboard of the 737 landing gear attachment point.

Jens Buche

IRONICALLLY, ATC to Pilot mis-communications at the SJ Dos Campos tower played a a part in an eerily similar crash in 1985. AN EMB-120 Brasilia destined for ASA airlines in Atlanta was on its delivery flight from the Embraer factory. Flight path was SJ Dos Campos-Manaus-USA.
Shortly after takeoff, Pilot mistakenly requested tower to level off and hold at interim altitude instead of continuing to climb to his flight plan cruise altitude as he should have done. Tower misunderstood the communication and gave him the "affirmative" (they thought he stated he would "continue" to climb to cruise FL). Plane crashed into mountain peak a few miles from SJ dos Campos killing all on board.

Jimmie B

The federal police of Brazil ended the case.
Two guilted : the air control, and legacy pilots..

I suppose that both of them would not face their responsabilities.., this is not the country of justice.

What would happen if brazillian pilots have been charged at US?

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About this Entry

This page contains a single entry by Justin Wastnage published on October 12, 2006 3:17 PM.

The Virgin America saga is an embarrassment to the USA was the previous entry in this blog.

Lockheed, the US government and the New space industry are surprising us all this year is the next entry in this blog.

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